EU Envoy Hahn to Make First Cyprus Contacts ‘in Immediate Future’

He said Hahn has “already started preparations” to begin his work in Cyprus and added that it is “very important that Hahn reports directly to the European Commission’s President Ursula von der Leyen”.

This, he added, allows for “a great deal of flexibility and mobility on his part”.

Hahn’s appointment in Cyprus was announced earlier this month, with the European Commission saying at the time that he would work “in close cooperation” with United Nations envoy Maria Angela Holguin and “contribute to the settlement process within the UN framework”, thus aiming to achieve a bizonal, bicommunal federal solution.

Greece and Turkey were divided over Hahn’s appointment, with Greece saying it “welcomes” the move, adding that it “reaffirms the European Union’s unwavering support for United Nations-led efforts for a just, viable and functional solution in accordance with the relevant UN security council resolutions and the EU acquis communautaire”.

Meanwhile, Turkey’s foreign ministry’s spokesman Oncu Keceli said he considers Hahn’s appointment to be “an internal matter of the EU”.

“The biased approach of the EU, which has been exclusively defending the attitudes and claims of the Greek Cypriot side regarding the Cyprus issue, has been further strengthened,” he added.

Meanwhile, UN spokesman Farhan Haq said that “we look forward to working with Mr Hahn”, while the north’s ‘foreign minister’ Tahsin Ertugruloglu was less impressed, swiftly ruling out the prospect of the Turkish Cypriot side engaging in talks with him.

“It is out of the question for us to recognise the appointment of such a representative, see it as legitimate, or accept his involvement in the current dialogue process,” he said.

He added, “if it refuses to recognise our sovereign equality and continues to disregard the will of our people, all steps taken by the EU will be deemed null and void by us”.

Source: Cyprus Mail