Just 39 miles on the clock, trashed cars remain in limbo Eight-year-old Dickran Ouzounian treasured visiting his father Stefan’s garage, located a few metres from the bustling Ledra street, to admire the latest Toyota cars.He was fascinated by the brand-new, gleaming Corollas, Coronas, Crowns and Celicas. Now, 50 years later, as the CEO of the … Read more
Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev on Thursday made fresh statements in support of the north’s potential accession to the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS), going further than he had previously to support the north becoming a full member.He said his country is making “diplomatic efforts” for the north to become an observer member of the OTS, … Read more
President Nikos Christodoulides has been briefed about the meeting of the UN secretary general with his personal envoy. The Turkish Minister of Defence, Yasar Guler, made a provocative statement regarding the Turkish troops’ “peace operation” in Cyprus. The Greek Cypriot side is steadfast in requesting the resumption of talks, despite indications that negotiations may not be positive. The UNSG will also meet with Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis to convey specific messages on behalf of the Republic. Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar claimed that peace prevailed on the island in 1974 and that the Turkish Cypriots made significant gains. Turkish Cypriot MPs participated in discussions at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on the issue of Varosha, claiming that the 1984 UN Security Council resolution is outdated.
Turkish Cypriots have lost confidence in the UN and Unficyp and do not consent to their presence in northern Cyprus. The funding for Unficyp in Cyprus is paid for by Cyprus and Greece, raising concerns about the impartiality of the UN forces in Cyprus. The UN could have asked the UK, Greece, and Turkey to contribute to the funding to avoid a conflict of interest. Without confidence in the UN, any proposals from them will be rejected.
Former UN envoy to Cyprus Alexander Downer met with Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar to discuss the need for new and creative ideas around the Cyprus problem. Discussions on a federation have not yielded a solution, and negotiations on this basis have been exhausted. Tatar emphasized the importance of confirming sovereign equality and equal international status before official negotiations can begin.
The fact described in the text is that the north’s ‘transport minister’ Erhan Arikli called for the north’s ‘parliament’ to pass a resolution calling for a two-state solution to the Cyprus problem.
Ankara is key to the efforts aimed at solving the Cyprus problem, according to government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis. EU-Turkey relations can play a significant role in this effort. Through dialogue, answers can be given to the concerns and worries of both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. Initiatives and measures are being taken to create positive conditions for the resumption of peace talks. Diplomatic efforts will continue to play a role in resolving the issue.
UN Secretary-General’s personal envoy, Maria Angela Holguin, left Cyprus after meeting with the leaders, including Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, with no progress made. Tatar rejected Holguin’s proposal for a meeting with her and President Nikos Christodoulides, citing the Turkish Cypriot side’s position on sovereign equality and equal international status. Holguin will report to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who will decide the next steps in the peace talks. Christodoulides’ failure to persuade Tatar to agree to a meeting raises questions about the purpose of the failed initiative and the blame game surrounding the deadlock.
– Piero Fassino visited Varosha on Wednesday
– Fassino hopes Varosha will become a “living town” again with the agreement of the two parties concerned
– Fassino’s findings from the visit will be compiled into a report for the PACE’s next assembly in June
– All Council of Europe member states are expected to take the vote on the report into consideration
– Turkish Cypriot observers thanked Fassino for listening to both sides before preparing his report
President Nikos Christodoulides stated that the government’s main goal is to restart negotiations for a solution to the Cyprus problem, but there has been no response from the Turkish Cypriot side so far.