Following yesterday's meeting of the National Council, Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis stated that progress can only come through constructive proposals and the European Union's contribution to the United Nations' efforts, provided there is political will on all sides.
President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides yesterday briefed the party leaders on the latest efforts to resume negotiations on the Cyprus problem since the last meeting of the National Council in early August.
Life after Guterres
Asked what will happen after the departure of UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Mr Letymbiotis said that the terms of reference, both for him and for any successor, remain the agreed framework, as set out in the UN Security Council resolutions.
Asked about the seven Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs) António Guterres had referred to during his visit to Cyprus at the end of July, the government spokesman replied that the Secretary-General had submitted a compromise proposal on the crossing points, "which we accepted and continue to accept to this day, and which unfortunately the other side has not accepted".
The government spokesman argued that applications for citizenship by children of mixed marriages involving Turkish Cypriots cannot be considered CBMs, as they are based on fundamental legal provisions.
As for the other six CBMs referred to by Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman, Mr Letymbiotis said that the Greek Cypriot side submitted a proposal on demining in April 2025, which was neither accepted nor discussed by the other side. According to the spokesman, the Greek Cypriot side also accepts the creation of a Technical Committee on Natural Disasters, "while the other side expresses reservations". On sport, he noted that an institutionalised framework has existed since 2013 between FIFA, UEFA, the Cyprus Football Association (CFA) and the Turkish Cypriot Football Association. On applications for citizenship, he argued that they cannot be considered CBMs, as they are based on fundamental legal provisions. On the negotiating acquis, Mr Letymbiotis insisted that it will not be lost, adding that the Turkish Cypriot leader appears to share this position.
Asked whether the United Nations has changed its approach regarding the convergences document, he replied that the understanding was that the document would be given to all sides once completed, in order to facilitate the process towards the resumption of talks.
Bleak prospects
After the briefing, DISY leader Annita Demetriou spoke of a "critical juncture" in the Cyprus problem, particularly following the developments in New York. She also pointed to the need for "fewer words and more work" to achieve the desired outcome. AKEL Secretary-General Stefanos Stefanou argued that, if Mr Guterres does not manage to convene an enlarged meeting, he should at least hand over to his successor the convergences and the negotiating acquis that have been achieved. DIKO leader Nikolas Papadopoulos blamed Turkey for its insistence on changing the basis of the negotiations towards a two-state solution, saying that only the course of EU-Turkey relations can put pressure on Ankara to agree to the resumption of talks within the agreed UN framework. The leader of Alma, Odysseas Michaelides, described the situation as "tragic", warning that Turkey will achieve its goal of preventing any progress until Guterres leaves, while the leader of Direct Democracy, Fidias Panayiotou, criticised the President for the lack of progress after a decade in or close to power. "The professional career he has followed has not produced any substantive result," he said.
