The two Cypriot leaders were in New York on Tuesday with views on the resumption of talks that were worlds apart.
President Nicos Anastasiades, who was attending the opening session of the UN General Assembly, is due to have a meeting with UN chief Antonio Guterres on Friday. He said on arrival that he would express his determination for the talks to be continued.
Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci however said he did not expect any movement on the Cyprus issue over the next five months. Akinci said on the one hand he was hearing statements from the Greek Cypriot side expressing readiness to negotiate, and on the other, murmurings that an election period was not the time to re-start the talks.
Speaking to journalists on arrival, Anastasiades said he had reiterated to heads of state and government, as well as to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, that the Greek Cypriot side was ready to negotiate in the framework set out by the UN chief.
The Cyprus problem and bilateral relations where at the focus of Anastasiades’ meetings on Tuesday.
He had separate meetings with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in addition to Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias.
Anastasiades briefed them on developments in the Cyprus problem as well as on the willingness and good will of the Greek Cypriot side for talks to continue within the framework of the parameters set by UNSG, while he also referred to matters pertaining to UNFICYP’s strategic review process.
Lavrov, government sources said, extended an invitation to Anastasiades to visit Moscow in the last 10 days of October, which the president accepted.
Anastasiades then met his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in a warm and friendly atmosphere.
Discussion focused on energy matters and the Cyprus problem while a visit of the Egyptian president to Nicosia two days before a Cyprus, Greece and Egypt trilateral summit was confirmed.
Anastasiades also met Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jungnauth.
During the meeting with Kotzias the two men reviewed developments in the Cyprus problem in view of their meetings with many international leaders on the sidelines of the assembly.
After the meeting, Kotzias reaffirmed that co-operation between the two countries is “impeccable”, while Anastasiades said they “reviewed developments thus far, as well as the common stance we will keep so that we can achieve a solution within the United Nations resolutions, always in the parametres set by the secretary-general”.
Akinci meanwhile said his meeting with Guterres on the sidelines of the UN assembly will be his first since the talks collapsed in Crans-Montana on July 6.
The Turkish Cypriot leader also said he expects an objective UN report on the record of the events that led to the deadlock. A report is due out by the end of the month.
He said he wants to exchange views with Guterres because the Greek Cypriot side was trying to distort what had happened “and create impressions”. Turkey’s proposals in Crans-Montana were within the UN framework he said.
He also said he would discuss with the Secretary-General whether he is thinking of a new initiative on the Cyprus issue, oriented to achieving results, after the Greek Cypriot presidential elections in February.
The UN chief, he said, should not close his eyes, and he added that most likely Guterres would want to re-evaluate the situation after the election rather than beforehand.
“Ultimately there is no great expectation from contacts in New York, as it is a meeting where the situation will be assessed,” Akinci said. No joint meeting of leaders with the Guterres was on the cards, he added.
Anastasiades agenda also includes a meeting with British Prime Minister Theresa May. He is also to attend separate receptions hosted by President of the European Council Donald Tusk, and US President Donald Trump.
