PRESIDENT Demetris Christofias will go to Geneva with a “constructive approach” and will be “well prepared” for his three-way meeting with the UN chief and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, the government spokesman has said.
The three meet in Switzerland on July 7 amid reports that the UN, concerned at the lack of real progress in peace talks over the last three years, might be pushing for a change of course with regard to the format and pace of the negotiations.
“What the President does each time he meets with the UN Secretary-General, and what he is doing on this occasion, is to go there well prepared…in order that we open the way for a solution,” government spokesman Stefanos Stefanou said.
“This means we remain consistent to the principles for a settlement and…at the same time we are sticking to the framework of the procedure agreed prior to the actual start of the negotiations,” he added.
Citing sources, Phileleftheros wrote yesterday that the UN is looking at an “action plan” to be implemented right after the Geneva meeting. The paper said that Downer would this week hold separate meetings in Cyprus with the leaders in a bid to agree such a plan, which would be presented to the UN chief on July 7.
Stefanou attributed the reports to speculation and newsmen’s overactive imagination.
“We shall not comment on scenarios and reports,” he said.
Asked about the format for July 7, Stefanou said the parties are still in the process of discussing the agenda, “for which we shall give our input”.
Noting that Christofias would go into the meeting with “realism”, Stefanou said that during the talks between the two communities the President has undertaken several “initiatives”, such as the proposal to link the property and territory issues.
After seeing Christofias last Wednesday, UN Special Advisor Alexander Downer gave an indication of what the UN had in mind for the Geneva meeting.
“What we want is for the leaders to have a very clear way forward,” he said. “We look forward to them implementing a clear plan to bring the negotiations to a conclusion.”
The European Commission has indicated that it is keen to see a settlement before Cyprus assumes the EU presidency in the second half of 2012. Commentators observe that unless a deal is struck by the end of this year, the UN may lose interest and even begin considering shelving the Cyprus file.
The government has repeatedly voiced hostility to any “asphyxiating” or “artificial” timeframes on the talks, as well as any mediation, insisting that the process is “Cyprus-owned.”
Meanwhile the UN Security Council yesterday formally adopted Ban’s recommendation that the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force (UNFICYP) be extended for six more months.
In his recommendation, Ban noted his concern at the slow progress in talks over the last few months, urging the two leaders to boost the momentum in negotiations, particularly on the core issues.
