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 monument ‘In The Service of Peace’ in Cyprus honors 150,000 uniformed personnel who have served in Cyprus, 187 of whom have died there.
UN Secretary-General’s personal envoy, Maria Holguin, is set to brief Antonio Guterres on the Cyprus issue, probably in the first half of June. President Nikos Christodoulides reiterated that the Greek Cypriot side is ready for dialogue. There has been no response from the Turkish Cypriot side so far. The most recent contact with the Turkish side was after a meeting between Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Christodoulides stated that if there is a genuine interest in the resumption of talks, he should not say more, especially in public.
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
Fact: Disy MP Averof Neophytou criticized the Christodoulides government for inaction, stating that the state leadership has confined itself to the role of observer and commentator.
UN envoy Maria Angela Holguin will prepare a report after her visit to Cyprus and meet with UNSG Antonio Guterres. The people of Cyprus deserve dialogue between the two parties, according to Holguin. Tatar rejected the suggestion of a trilateral meeting, stating that negotiations can only resume with confirmation of sovereign equality and equal international status for the Turkish Cypriot side.
Monday 13 May will be crucial for the Cyprus problem, with meetings in Nicosia and Ankara focusing on the outcome and future developments. The Greek Cypriot side expects Turkey to make a move to push Ersin Tatar back to the table, while Tatar insists on his conditions being met before entering talks. The UN and international actors expect both sides to make moves to break the deadlock. President Christodoulides mentioned exchanging ideas with the UN envoy, emphasizing the agreed framework for a solution. The focus is on gestures that will facilitate a joint meeting between the two leaders and the UN side.
The personal envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General, Maria Angela Holguín Cuéllar, met with the two leaders and emphasized the importance of listening to civil society and making progress towards finding a lasting solution to the Cyprus issue. She conveyed the support of the international community and urged the leaders to move forward.