President Nicos Anastasiades said on Tuesday he will stress to the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, in an impartial manner and without entering a blame game, the need for a substantive dialogue as regards the settlement negotiations.
Anastasiades is scheduled to meet with Guterres on Wednesday, as part of the president’s trip to the United States, where he will address an investment conference on Cyprus.
Speaking to members of the press upon his arrival in New York, the president said he will seek to explain to the secretary-general the problems the peace process is facing. While in New York, Anastasiades is to also meet with British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson.
“We are not the ones who left the negotiating table,” he said. He reiterated that his goal is to continue the negotiations with a view to finding a functional and viable solution which will respect EU principles and values to the benefit of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.
Asked what he expects from Guterres, the president repeated the need for substantive talks, stressing his determination to work hard towards a political settlement.
Commenting on Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu’s statements – published in the Washington Times on Sunday – that a Cyprus solution would include the EU’s four freedoms for Turkish nationals, and the 1960 guarantees would remain, the president said that these demands were incompatible with a solution.
“I have no wish to link the demands of the Turkish foreign minister to my meeting with the UNSG. I will however stress to the Secretary General that he can contribute to a lasting solution, which is compatible with the acquis communautaire. Unfortunately, Cavusoglu’s claims have nothing to do with what we are seeking to achieve,” he said.
The settlement solution, he said, cannot serve the interests of a third country, it can only serve the interest of Cypriots.
He added that certain claims by the Turkish side, regarding the four EU fundamental freedoms, effective participation in government “as they interpret it”, and the issue of guarantees, are not compatible with EU rules and regulations and Cyprus’ capacity as an EU member.
“I cannot overlook the fact that there has been progress at the talks but I cannot ignore the difficulties we are facing,” Anastasiades said. He expressed hope that the talks would resume soon.
Anastasiades arrived in New York on Monday, accompanied by government spokesman Nicos Christodoulides.
Once there, he was scheduled to attend a dinner hosted in his honour by Cypriot expatriates in the US.
On Tuesday, Anastasiades marked the end of the trading day at the New York stock exchange. He was accompanied by Energy Minister Yiorgos Lakkotrypis and government spokesman Nicos Christodoulides. After Anastasiades brought down the gavel to close the day, the end flew off dropping to the traders below although no-one was hurt.
The next day, in addition to meeting with Guterres, Anastasiades will have a meeting with Archbishop Demetrios of America, before addressing the international Invest in Cyprus conference at the Metropolitan Club.
The forum is organised by Capital Link, in cooperation with the Cypriot association of ship-owners, the Cyprus Investment Promotion Agency, and the commercial chambers of Cyprus and USA.
It aims to inform large American corporations and investors of the investment opportunities available in Cyprus and promote business and commercial cooperation.
In addition to the president, the ministers of finance, transport, and energy, will also address the conference.
On Thursday, the president will hold separate meetings with the foreign ministers of Britain, Boris Johnson, and Slovakia, Miroslav Lajcak.
Lajcak will chair the 72nd general assembly of the United Nations.
Meanwhile, according to the daily Kathimerini, efforts are underway for Anastasiades to meet with the US president Donald Trump in the summer.
Citing sources, the daily reported that the Archbishop Demetrios will play a major role in making this goal a reality. The Archbishop, the daily said, keeping clear from any political friction between the two major parties in the US has managed to win everyone’s respect.
Efforts are also underway by the Permanent Representative of Cyprus to the UN Kornelios Korneliou as well as the Government Spokesman Nicos Christodoulides, who is set to have meetings with the State Department.
The daily said that the meeting between the two heads of state is expected to take place in the first week of June.
