Trump reads up on Crans-Montana

US President Donald Trump’s latest bi-monthly report makes reference to the period after the failed Crans-Montana talks over the Cyprus problem, the Cyprus News Agency reported on Tuesday.

A cover letter by Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs Mary Waters specifies the report “outlines the events from August through September that saw the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities attempting to shape the narrative in the aftermath of the closure without agreement during the Crans Montana conference”.

Talks in Crans-Montana, Switzerland collapsed in July last year.

The report outlined that between August and September, both leaders entered a period of reflection. Statements made by Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci on August 5 were included which said “fading prospects for a federal Cyprus meant the next best option was two separate states both within the EU.”

It added that Akinci defended Special Advisor to the Secretary-General Espen Barth Eide’s role in the process, who had come under fire by the Greek Cypriot side.

The report includes a statement by President Nicos Anastasiades on September 11, who “repeated his willingness to return to talks provided Turkey respected the UN Secretary—General’s parameters for the creation of a normal state, which Anastasiades interpreted to be without security guarantees and intervention rights”.

The bi-monthly report also extensively referred to the north’s decision to impose ‘taxes’ on humanitarian aid sent to the enclaved Greek Cypriots and Maronites living there. The ‘cabinet’ has since recalled the decision saying it will introduce a “reasonable policy.”

The report noted that UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for a period of reflection to determine if and when conditions would mature again for a meaningful process in the near future and that he reiterated the UN would be available to continue to host future discussions, should the parties decide to engage in such a process with the necessary political will to conclude the strategic agreement that was emerging in Crans-Montana.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.