Eide: foreign governments studying funding options for Cyprus

Various governments and the EU are studying options for economic support to help fund the costs of a settlement in Cyprus, UN Special Adviser Espen Barth Eide tweeted on Sunday.

Eide has been doing the rounds in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly talking to various countries and international organisations on the funding for a settlement, including the International Monetary Fund. He said there was “strong international support”.

The Greek Cypriot side says it wants the funding issue sorted before a settlement, with the money going towards setting up a federal government and also for compensation as part of resolving the property issue.

Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci said on Friday in New York that he had also discussed funding. “[Property] remedies will incldue mainly compensation. therefore we need to focus on financing a settlement,” he said.

Eide also tweeted on Sunday that he had “constructive conversations” in New York with all three foreign ministers of the guarantor powers; Greece, Turkey and Britain. The two sides in Cyprus differ on the issue of guarantees with the Greek Cypriot side wanting none at all.

“UNSG Ban Ki-moon & I also met PMs @tsipras_eu and @A_Davutoglu_eng, urging both to do their best to facilitate a settlement in #Cyprus,” Eide tweeted.

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