In addition to President Nicos Anastasiades’ plans to brief the Greek leadership on Wednesday, international players stepped up their interest over the weekend and on Monday.
US President Barack Obama said on Sunday the prospects for a lasting settlement were the best seen in many years. Ahead of his visit to Greece, Obama told Kathimerini said he hoped the leaders could arrive at a durable solution that would benefit all Cypriots.
“Today, the prospects for a lasting settlement on Cyprus are the best we’ve seen in many years,” he said, adding that a just and comprehensive solution for Cyprus would have historic and far-reaching impact. It would improve economic opportunities for all the people of Cyprus and enhance energy security in the Mediterranean region and beyond that would create opportunities for US and European businesses – an alignment of interests that could be an engine for economic growth in the region.
Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said current talks were a “last opportunity” and five-party negotiations that include Turkey, Greece and the United Nations should start swiftly.
“We want to move on to a five-party summit as soon as possible, and see these negotiations, which are the last chance, end with success,” he said.
The Turkish – and Turkish Cypriot – side’s view is that such a summit should comprise the three guarantor powers and the two communities on the island, a position not acceptable to Greek Cypriots, who feel this composition would equate the internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus, which they control, with the internationally unrecognised Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
Instead, the Greek Cypriot side calls for a multi-party conference, to be attended by the European Union and the permanent members of the United Nations’ Security Council, as well as the three guarantor powers.
This arrangement, they believe, would distinctly reinforce the view that the Republic of Cyprus will be present in the talks, since it, alone of the two entities on the island, is a member of both these institutions.
Meanwhile, Russian ambassador to Cyprus Stanislav Osadchiy told state broadcaster CyBC on Monday morning that Russia favours a multi-party conference, in which it would be included, over a five-party one.
He added that whether the Cyprus problem is resolved by year’s end or later is of little importance, but what matters is finding a viable and functional solution.
Osadchiy had publicly expressed this view in September, saying that the security component of a Cyprus settlement is of “general concern for the region’s security”.
“This is the reason why Moscow is keen on this matter,” he had said.
However, in public remarks last month, Osadchiy had appeared deferential to the Cypriots’ wishes, expressing the view that a modern independent state “does not need guarantees in today’s world”.
What was acceptable to the Cypriots, he said in October, was also acceptable to Russia, “and this is our steadfast position”.
Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots demand the continuation – in some form – of Turkey’s guarantees.
The Greek Cypriots reject this, countering that security council guarantees could replace the 1960 arrangement.
“If Cypriots want UN Security Council guarantees, this is ok with us, but you must choose what you want,” Osadchiy had said.
