Galanos urges Clerides to accept UN talks invitation

EUROPEAN Renewal party leader Alexis Galanos yesterday said he believed the Greek Cypriot side should respond positively to the United Nations’ call to negotiations with the Turkish Cypriots.

Galanos was talking after meeting with President Glafcos Clerides within the framework of a series of meetings between the President and party leaders.

Galanos said there would never be a UN Resolution that could completely satisfy either side: “There will be positive elements for us and elements that we could consider as negative. If you think that there will ever be a resolution from the UN or any other international organisation, with the current status quo and the role Turkey plays, that will be one hundred per cent positive for us then I think that we would be living in another universe.”

He said that what was most important was for “certain basic things to be protected, that is to say that any initiatives and talks will be carried out under UN Resolutions.”

“Beyond this,” Galanos continued, “unless there is a complete turnaround by the UN and unless the Turkish side changes it stance, we do not have the luxury to turn down talks.”

He said the Greek Cypriot side had to maintain a positive outlook on UN initiatives. Unficyp chief of mission dame Ann Hercus’ role “is to support the negotiation process and UN policy, and we must wait for her instructions,” he added.

Galanos said Hercus did not receive her instructions from “the US government or any other government, but she should be careful not to act beyond the boundaries of her jurisdiction and she should also be careful to keep a balanced stance.”

He was referring to press reports suggesting Hercus had called for certain details to be removed from UN Resolutions in order to create a “better environment” for negotiations with the Turkish Cypriot side.

The government is waiting for the UN resolutions to be passed before it responds officially to the Secretary-general’s invitation to talks.

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