PRESS AND INFORMATION OFFICE
Issue 3/2018
27 December 2018
Terms of reference for the resumption of talks on the Cyprus problem
The UN Secretary General in his most recent report on Cyprus last October, expressed the view that prospects for a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem remain alive. The government of the Republic of Cyprus has welcomed this assessment, as well as the Secretary General’s conviction that the way ahead must be well prepared and it is ready to do its utmost to contribute to the materialization of the Secretary General’s hope that upcoming discussions can lead to the deployment of the full weight of his good offices mission.
Within this framework there has been an active engagement with the UNSG’s Special Envoy Ms. Jane Holl Lute, who has undertaken on behalf of the UNSG the mission of formulating the terms of reference that will pave the way for the resumption of negotiations on the Cyprus problem. Ms Lute visited Cyprus for consultations in July, October and December 2018. During her most recent visit she met with President Anastasiades on 16 and 18 December. According to the Government Spokesman, Mr Prodromos Prodromou, consultations were held in a creative and productive atmosphere and President Anastasiades discussed with Ms. Lute “with a view to formulate the terms of reference so that negotiations will begin again. The discussion will continue and Ms. Lute will come back at the beginning of next year.”
The Government Spokesman also expressed the belief that “if there is a positive approach, will and determination from the other side – and particularly from Turkey – then it will be possible to reach an agreement soon on the terms of reference, in order for the negotiations to begin.”
President Nicos Anastasiades has repeatedly expressed his commitment to continue negotiations from where they were left off in Crans Montana on the basis of the 6-point package of the UN Secretary General and the hard won acquis that was formed during the process. The basis of the solution remains the bizonal, bicommunal federation as described in United Nations Resolutions, that will reunify Cyprus as a modern, functional and EU acquis compliant State without external interference, guarantees or foreign troops, that will be able to continue to exercise its role as an actor of stability, prosperity and a beacon of peace and cooperation in the eastern Mediterranean and the wider region of the Middle East and that will respect and guarantee the basic rights and fundamental freedoms of all its citizens and will be fully able to assume its role in support of peace and stability in the highly volatile area of the Eastern Mediterranean.
Trilateral Cooperation Mechanisms
The goal of creating conditions of peace, stability and prosperity through the establishment of trilateral cooperation mechanisms with countries of the region, is the centrepiece and priority of the Republic of Cyprus’ foreign policy outreach in the region.
Cyprus’ traditional relations with the countries of the region, coupled with its location as the European Union’s lighthouse in the Eastern Mediterranean, obligates the government of Cyprus to do its utmost to positively affect efforts to address the many challenges in the region, whose impact is not limited to the immediate region alone.
Together with Greece, the Republic of Cyprus has developed trilateral mechanisms with Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine. For the first three trilateral cooperation mechanisms, several high level Summits have already taken place. This model of regional cooperation has already created synergies in areas of mutual interest and has led to thematic collaboration, including extended regional cooperation. The trilaterals have their own momentum and are not static, but aim to continuously evolve to include new areas where there is a value added.
Within this framework, the 5th Trilateral Cyprus -Greece-Israel Summit, with the participation of President Anastasiades, the Prime Minister of Greece Alexis Tsipras and the Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu took place in Beer Sheva, Israel on 20 December 2018, when the three leaders announced, inter alia, that they were ready to proceed with an interstate agreement concerning the EastMed pipeline.
In statements to the press, after the Summit, President Anastasiades said the decision regarding EastMed is one of the most important and substantial achievements of the tripartite cooperation, while also pointing out that “I deem that today’s Summit was entirely successful with regard to the goals set, and I feel particularly satisfied because the development of our tripartite mechanism shows in a very tangible way that it has become a credible model of constructive regional cooperation, for the benefit of the people and the region in general.”
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source:https://www.pio.gov.cy/en/factsheets-article.html?id=25
