FOREIGN MINISTER George Iacovou said the Greek Cypriot side will not deviate from the line that the Cyprus talks should be held under UN auspices, CNA reported yesterday.
In statements before departing for Vienna to take part in the informal EU Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, Iacovou also called on the US to direct appeals for a resumption of talks to the Turkish and Turkish Cypriot side.
Commenting on Thursday night’s dinner in the north between former President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, Iacovou said he would have preferred that the dinner did not take place at the ‘presidential palace’ because “this will make things difficult for our side.”
Although “Mr. Clerides is a private citizen, he is still a former President of the Republic,” Iacovou said.
Asked if this meeting gives the impression that President of the Republic Tassos Papadopoulos does not view positively a meeting with Talat, Iacovou said these two are not comparable.
Iacovou reminded that meetings between the President of the Republic with the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community were held within a specific framework, within the framework of the good offices mission of the UN Secretary-General and under his aegis.
“We will not deviate from this line,” Iacovou said, adding that although Talat insisted on a meeting, when he was given the opportunity to have one with President Papadopoulos he postponed it and continues to do so.
Invited to comment on statements made yesterday by US Ambassador to Cyprus Ronald Schlicher who said that each day that goes by without any negotiation on the Cyprus problem is a wasted opportunity to solve the Cyprus issue, Iacovou said Schlicher “should direct his appeals to the Turkish and Turkish Cypriot side.”
Iacovou said the government agreed in Paris for committees to meet on a technical level to begin, amongst others, the preparation for the negotiations.
One of the preconditions, he added, would be to start negotiations “when these are sufficiently prepared, therefore I think that these appeals should be directed to the Turkish and Turkish Cypriot side.”
Referring to the Informal Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, he said among the issues to be examined is the future of Europe.
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