Speaking exclusively to Euronews, the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulidis, reveals the details of the informal tripartite meeting on the Cyprus issue in New York, under the UN Secretary-General.
"There cannot be any solution to the Cyprus issue, or a discussion that goes beyond the framework of the United Nations resolutions," he notes characteristically and emphasizes with emphasis: "I know where we want to go. We know each other very well. We know what our red lines are."
He explains that the positions he heard from Ersin Tatar were the same ones he has been expressing publicly for a long time, and emphasizes that he himself had proposals on a number of issues.
"Unfortunately, everything was rejected by Mr. Tatar," says Nikos Christodoulidis and presents his proposals in detail.
He admits that the normalization of Greek-Turkish relations cannot but work positively and constructively in the Cyprus issue and emphasizes that progress in Euro-Turkish relations goes through and through the Cyprus issue.
The interview in detail
Maria Psara: Mr. President, you arrived in Brussels from New York, where the informal tripartite meeting on the Cyprus issue took place. The UN Secretary General asked for a discussion "outside the box". What does this mean? Retreats from both sides?
There is no question of discussion or initiative on the part of the Secretary General to discuss solutions outside the framework Nikos Christodoulidis President of the Republic of Cyprus
Nikos Christodoulidis: He asked for an informal discussion, because the meeting was also informal. We had a free dialogue to see how the perspectives are created to restart the dialogue and reach a solution of the Cyprus issue on the basis of the agreed framework. After all, the Secretary-General is the first to be bound by the decisions of the United Nations Security Council. So there is no question of discussion or initiative on the part of the Secretary General to discuss solutions outside the context. It was particularly significant that the Secretary General of the United Nations took this initiative in the midst of two wars. We see what is happening in Ukraine. Here in Brussels is the president of Ukraine, precisely because there is this concern about developments in Ukraine. We see what is happening in the Middle East and the Secretary General of the United Nations is taking this initiative. This is a clear indication that he is committed to the need to resolve the Cyprus problem and he mentioned it to us at the meeting and I am happy, even though the desired result for me - I want to be completely honest - was to succeed in announcing the resumption of talks. This was not possible. The positions expressed by Mr. Tatar were the known public positions. I did not hear anything new, but I saw a Secretary General, who insists and with our encouragement, this effort will continue with an informal extended meeting, while there is also my meeting with Mr. Tatar in Nicosia to see the prospects, the possibility of having more crossing points to the occupied territories. From then on, there were other suggestions from our side. Unfortunately, the response from Mr. Tatar was not positive, but we will persist. We will persist because we see at the international level this - if you like - upgraded approach of the Republic of Cyprus, which also touches on strengthening our efforts to resolve the Cyprus problem.
Maria Psara: But some have already started talking, Mr. President, about concessions. Is there a chance for the Republic of Cyprus to retreat from its basic positions on the Cyprus issue?
Nikos Christodoulidis: There cannot be any solution to the Cyprus issue, or a discussion that goes beyond the framework of the United Nations resolutions. And there is, if you like, apart from Mr. Tatar, that is, the Turkish approach, any encouragement from anyone in this direction. So all this does not correspond to reality, does not correspond to what was discussed, but also to the effort of the Secretary General.
Maria Psara: Is there a specific timetable? I guess I understand that it does not exist, or does it exist and is not announced?
I know where we want to go. We know each other very well. We know what our red lines are.
Nikos Christodoulidis President of the Republic of Cyprus
Nikos Christodoulidis: No, there is no timetable in the sense that we know when this expanded one will take place, but if I can tell you that when I return to Nicosia I will contact the Secretary General of the United Nations both on the issue of determining as soon as possible this informal extended meeting, but also for my meeting with Mr. Tatar in Nicosia. You know, I've said it many times and I mean it: I know where we want to go. We know each other very well. We know what our red lines are. For example, I mentioned to you before, there is no question of discussion, of another solution, out of context and we have the facts of the roads that we want to follow that we have to follow - what we are following - to achieve the goal.
Maria Psara: Have you been informed if the Secretary General has contacted Britain to participate?
Nikos Christodoulidis: The extended informal meeting cannot take any other form than the one (s.s.: they had those) that took place in the past. There are three guarantor powers, the three guarantor powers will be present at this informal meeting. I don't think any of the three guarantors will be negative in such an eventuality, what I expect is on the one hand the setting of the date, but also on the other - we are very interested in this, I also mentioned it to the Secretary General - all this time until this meeting takes place to prepare to have a result. Let's not go to a meeting, just repeat this and have no result, because it is important. The most important thing is to have a result in the direction of restarting the talks.
Maria Psara: Answer a question for me: Why does the Turkish side not want the participation of Britain? And I ask you why some people say that this indicates a package solution for Greek-Turkish and Cypriot?
Nikos Christodoulidis: No. Those who know the Cypriot issue and have dealt with the Cypriot issue over time know that this was the approach of the Turkish and Turkish Cypriot sides. To degrade the Republic of Cyprus, to degrade the Greek Cypriot side. And they've always sought these quadrilateral meetings which - you know, I want to repeat this, there is no such possibility, there can be no such meeting and you know, when and if the talks resume and I'm bringing this up today for the first time - when we met with the General I specifically presented the secretary and the t/c leader the three tables at which the various issues should be discussed. Because we have the Alliance agreement, we have the guarantees agreement and we also have the internal aspects. We went into this meeting prepared. We convinced the Secretary General of the United Nations. Let me remind you that when I was in New York for the General Assembly, the Secretary General himself told me: "I am ready, I see the political commitment. We did a lot, not words, actions and we showed in practice our political commitment and I expect the answer from the Turkish side, I will put it in the meeting we will have with Mr. Erdogan". He did it. There was this meeting, now we are interested in the continuation.
The positive developments in Euro-Turkish relations also pass through the Cyprus issue
Nikos Christodoulidis President of the Republic of Cyprus
I will also tell you something that just happened: I had the opportunity to discuss with the German chancellor, who also played an important role in the past. I remind you that Turkey's acceptance of Mrs. Holgin as the Secretary General's personal envoy took place after the intervention of the German Chancellor. He is traveling to Turkey tomorrow (Friday). On Saturday he will meet with Mr Erdogan. We specifically discussed the Cyprus issue and Euro-Turkish issues. We have conclusions of April 2024 that define the road map of positive developments in the Euro-Turkish that pass through and through positive developments in the Cyprus issue and we have shown, we have given writing samples: Mr. Fidan's participation in the informal Council of Foreign Ministers after several years , constructive mood in the conclusions with the inclusion of our own concerns, 14 unilateral measures of the Republic of Cyprus towards the Turkish Cypriots, acceptance of the personal envoy - although we would prefer a special envoy in Cyprus - acceptance of the first proposal of the General Secretariat which was rejected by the Turkish Cypriots and so on.
So, on the one hand, no one questions our own political will, but on the other hand, it was our own actions that brought - if you will - the international interest in the Cyprus issue to start again. But what interests me most, what interests us most is that there be a specific result which cannot be other than the resumption of talks.
The improvement of Greek-Turkish relations, and the Greek prime minister has said this publicly, can only be achieved through the solution of the Cyprus problem.
Nikos Christodoulidis President of the Republic of Cyprus
Maria Psara: But since we also have Fidan's visit to Athens on November 8, how much of a role does the normalization of Greek-Turkish relations play in relation to the Cyprus issue?
Nikos Christodoulidis: The normalization of Greek-Turkish relations cannot but work positively, constructively in the Cyprus issue. This is our clear position. This is what I really believe and yes messages can be conveyed to Turkey through it and the Greek government. There is another peculiarity. Turkey's involvement in the Cyprus issue is fundamental. It touches on all issues: both the internal aspect and the international aspect, all dimensions of the Cypriot issue. In the case of the Greek government, and I want to state this publicly: The Greek government is involved in the Cyprus issue in the issue of guarantees and troops, as it appears from the treaty establishing the Republic of Cyprus. The decisions regarding the internal aspect are the decisions of the Republic of Cyprus and I am glad that we have this - if you like - full understanding with the Greek Prime Minister. And I repeat: The improvement of Greek-Turkish relations and, if we want to talk about a complete settlement, everyone knows that, it is the position of the Greek Prime Minister, he stated it publicly in Nicosia, it only goes through and through the solution of the Cyprus problem.
Maria Psara: It has been confirmed that the Assistant Secretary General of the UN, Rosemary Di Carlo, who you have known for a long time anyway, will take over. Have you talked to her? Will you talk? Is there anything specific?
Nikos Christodoulidis: Well, in the meeting with the Turkish Cypriot leader, I asked the Secretary General that along with these initiatives it is good to appoint a personal or special envoy, someone who will take the role exclusively to deal with the Cyprus issue.
Maria Psara: I'm sorry because Tatar didn't want Holgin, right?
Nikos Christodoulidis: Yes, I said I have no problem, Mrs. Olgin can be appointed, you can appoint General Secretary, any other personality. And the Secretary General replied, "I am ready to re-appoint Mrs. Holgin." Mr. Tatar's answer was negative and in this context the Secretary-General said that this role will be taken up by the Assistant Secretary-General at the United Nations, Mrs. Di Carlo, whom we know very well and expect to see, I believe, in Cyprus so that we can discuss the next steps. But the Secretary General, as it emerges from the discussion, wants to keep a leading role in this effort.
Maria Psara: It is something that seems like a personal bet for the General Secretary himself.
Nikos Christodoulidis: Yes, and he himself said "I see what is happening in the area". He said, "I come from the Mediterranean." We know its origin from Portugal. "We see all these negative developments. I believe in Cyprus, I believe in the solution of the Cyprus problem" (s.s.: the UN Secretary-General said) and I consider this to be positive.
Maria Psara: But one honest question, what will Mrs. Di Carlo do differently compared to Mrs. Holgin? What is it that the t/c leader doesn't like?
Nikos Christodoulidis: Regarding the answer of the Turkish Cypriot leader, I cannot answer on his behalf. Whatever difficulties or problems he may put in this endeavour, he will certainly do so. But I don't want to speak for him under any circumstances. Mrs. Di Carlo has a role to play. If you want as a general comment, that Ms. Di Carlo will take over is even more important. She is the Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations, fully bound by the resolutions of the United Nations, she is the second highest official of the United Nations. He will prepare this meeting and hopefully there will be results.
Maria Psara: I will stick to the schedule a bit. Let's go to open barricades...
Nikos Christodoulidis: We'll see. Let's discuss, we have a specific proposal that concerns one of two roadblocks that we want to open to facilitate the daily life of citizens. And if there is a positive response from Mr. Tatar, we will proceed. You know, we went to the meeting with very specific recommendations. It wasn't just the barricades. There were proposals in relation to youth, in relation to a truth commission on the issue of missing persons. Unfortunately, everything was rejected by Mr. Tatar, and I believe that the Secretary General's obsession also influenced him to accept this debate.
We don't know the result yet. We were ready, I was ready from my side to announce positive concrete measures, after the meeting. Unfortunately it was not possible, so we go to this discussion.
Maria Psara: I wanted to ask you, however, about the mood you found on the other side. Mr. Tatar talks about sovereign equality and that if this is not ensured, he will not come to the negotiation table. Do you see mood and a conversation?
Nikos Christodoulidis: Look, the positions are known and he repeated them during the dinner, to which I answered very specifically because everything he says will never be accepted. Apart from the fact that they go beyond the scope of the resolutions, there are also many other factors. But I will tell you something: Repeatedly in Cyprus I tried to have even a social meeting with Mr. Tatar. In many cases I personally delivered the invitation, I also did it through Mrs. Holgin. There was always that negative response. Then this informal meeting took place in New York, at our own insistence, at our own initiative, because we are more interested than any other in the Cyprus issue. It is a positive step. It didn't bring the result, but I think the prospect is there and we have the way and the means to do everything possible to make it happen and that's what we will do. We know very well, I repeat, where we want to go and what we will do to reach the goal.
Maria Psara: So the beginning has been made. It remains to be seen how it will be launched.
Nikos Christodoulidis: You certainly never know. Not long ago there was not even a discussion of such a thing and here we see a Secretary General taking this initiative in the midst of two wars. It was our actions all these 19 months, I repeat not in words, that we are committed to a solution and so on. With actions, specific actions.
Maria Psara: Is it true that Mr. Tatar referred to the issue of prosecutions against persons involved in the usurpation of Greek Cypriot property?
Nikos Christodoulidis: Yes, a large part of Mr. Tatar's interventions related to this issue and he even requested my own intervention on such an issue. Of course, I explained to him, if you like, I appealed to the Secretary General as a former head of a state governed by the rule of law, a member state of the European Union, that there is no interference by the executive power in the judicial power. And I even presented a joint statement by the Greek Cypriots and the Greek Cypriot parties that clearly say that this exploitation that is taking place, the usurpation of properties, works negatively both in relation to the prospect of resolving the Cypriot issue, but also the content of the solution. So my answer to Mr. Tatar was clear.
Maria Psara: It's good to ask you now about the role that the European Union can have in this whole Cyprus process. You said she can play an important role and she is ready to do so. You also spoke with President von der Leyen at the EPP pre-conference. Tell us exactly how you think about this given the difficulties for even the guarantor powers to participate in an enlarged meeting?
The President of the European Commission shows an increased interest in the Cyprus issue
Nikos Christodoulidis President of the Republic of Cyprus
Nikos Christodoulidis: The Republic of Cyprus is a member state of the European Union and will continue to be even after a possible solution. So the content of the solution affects the European Union itself. If we have a state that cannot function internally, it will not be able to function when it comes to Brussels and in many cases it will still create a problem in Brussels as well. This is the first question. The second: European Union. It is a common position through the conclusions that we all want to see progress in Euro-Turkish relations. Well, this progress also goes through the Cyprus issue. It is the second dimension and I am glad - I must say it - that the President of the European Commission is showing an increased interest in the Cyprus issue. We need to go beyond the statements to something more concrete and we believe that a more leading role on the part of the European Union will not only help us in resuming the talks, but also in the content of the discussions, especially regarding the internal aspect of the Cyprus issue , but it will also help Turkey, so it will create, if you like, a win-win situation for all involved and this is the role we want to see from the European Union's side.
Source: euronews