Menelau Emphasizes Renewed Push to Revive Cyprus Peace Talks

He stated that the Greek Cypriot side places great importance on the personal representative of the UN Secretary-General, Maria Angela Holguin, who is expected to arrive on the island this month, and values the EU's appointment of Johannes Hahn as a special envoy.

In an exclusive interview with Haravgi, Menelau explained that Holguin’s role is to prepare the groundwork to continue the steps agreed upon during the informal extended talks in Geneva, with the primary aim of revitalizing the negotiations.

Menelau expressed optimism that Holguin, familiar with both sides' positions, will help advance the talks without delay. However, he criticized the Turkish side for its positions outside the framework of a federation solution, which he sees as a major obstacle.

Despite these obstacles, some progress has been made so far, and Menelau said they continue working towards the next stage with a more concrete and visible perspective. He stressed that the Turkish side must show the political will to begin a process within the federation framework, noting that ongoing efforts remain within the agreed framework.

Regarding the possibility of failure in June, Menelau said that a new informal extended meeting chaired by the UN Secretary-General and involving the same team from the previous talks in Geneva is scheduled for the end of June, describing it as the "next important milestone." He made clear that failure or deadlock is not an option and expressed hope that the efforts will continue, leading to concrete progress and the resumption of negotiations.

When asked about other issues like the new crossing points, where no agreement has been reached, Menelau said that despite the Turkish side's stance, substantive steps have recently been taken. He cited Holguin’s previous mandate from January to summer 2024, the UN Secretary-General’s working lunch with President Ersin Tatar and Greek Cypriot Leader Nikos Christodoulides in New York in October 2024, and the Geneva talks as examples.

Menelau explained their goal is to go into the next extended talks with progress made on all points raised by the Secretary-General after the March meeting, with the primary focus on restarting the negotiation process. While no agreement on crossing points has been reached yet, substantive talks have occurred, with necessary issues on the table.

Regarding crossing points, Menelau said the main issue is the Turkish side insisting on opening crossing points at Haspolat and Akıcılar, while the Greek Cypriot side refuses the Turkish proposals of Kiracıköy-Gaziler and Erenköy. He recalled the Secretary-General’s statement mentioning four crossing points — two proposed by each side — and said that an agreement could be reached if reciprocity is ensured. He added that the Greek Cypriots have proposed a pedestrian crossing within Nicosia’s Walled City but have yet to receive a response from the Turkish side.

Menelau also mentioned ongoing talks about establishing a solar park in the buffer zone but acknowledged there is still a long way to go. He noted that technical issues remain to be resolved, alongside political obstacles stemming from the Turkish side’s position that there must be two separate connections to the electricity grid, a stance Menelau argued is incompatible with the spirit of such initiatives.

On mine clearance, Menelau said further preliminary work is needed but some progress could be made soon. When reminded of the ironic observation that aside from the bicommunal youth committee, progress has mostly been on the issue of cemeteries, Menelau responded that all initiatives aim to contribute to advancing the solution process.