The Treaty establishing the Republic of Cyprus is not the subject of negotiations in Geneva, clarified the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus Ioannis Kasoulidis.
In an interview with the Cypriot Kathimerini and answering a question about whether the Establishment Treaty will be changed, Mr. Kasoulidis said: "Neither such a thing has been discussed nor will it be done."
Regarding the forthcoming Cyprus solution plan, Ioannis Kasoulidis stated that he is absolutely convinced that it will be much better than the Annan plan.
Referring to the Turkish stance, Mr. Kasoulidis stressed that now is the time for Ankara to convince that it really wants a solution.
"Otherwise, if you put in the negotiating table positions that sound nice to the ears, but with them you can't solve the problem, it means you don't want a solution," he said.
Regarding the composition of the international conference in Geneva, Mr Kasoulides said the European Union would be present, adding that Nicosia's desire was for the permanent members of the Security Council to be present.
He explained that any solution would end up in the Security Council, to be ratified and at the same time to issue a strong resolution, which would give him the opportunity to oversee the implementation of the provisions of the solution.
The Foreign Minister stressed that, in 2017, there can be no limited sovereignty with the presence of foreign troops and the existence of third-country guarantees on an independent state, a member of the United Nations and the European Union.
Mr Kasoulidis said, however, that it was another matter if a period of adjustment was needed regarding the withdrawal of troops.
At the same time, he said that Turkey had never had a contractual right to a unilateral military operation in Cyprus, citing a thorough opinion obtained by the United Nations from a well-known Austrian expert on international law, which shows that the invasion was illegal.
Asked to comment on concerns in both communities on security issues, Ioannis Kasoulidis said a clear agreement was needed to implement the solution and adhere to what was agreed by all, in order to alleviate fears on both sides.
He also referred to the proposal submitted by the President of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Anastasiadis to the negotiating table, on the basis of which the presence of the UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus will be maintained for some years, with a more police than military composition.
This proposal, said Mr. Kasoulidis, responds to the concerns of Turkish Cypriots regarding their physical security.