Nicosia Does not Want T/C Elections to Delay Cyprus Talks

Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos told reporters that whilst the October elections would affect the peace process, they should not halt momentum generated by recent diplomatic initiatives involving the United Nations and European Union.

“We do not have the luxury of determining an end to this process,” Kombos said, referring to the need to reach substantive negotiations on the Cyprus issue.

The comments came as UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser Maria Angela Holguin met Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Istanbul on Monday, with the venue changed from Ankara due to the Turkish minister’s participation in Russia-Ukraine talks.

Kombos said confidence-building measures were not a prerequisite for multilateral talks planned for July in New York, though agreement on such measures would create positive momentum.

“The mobility created following our own initiatives throughout the previous period, both at United Nations level and at European Union level with the appointment of the European envoy, all these must be utilised to the maximum possible extent,” he said.

The minister criticised what he described as a “hardening” of rhetoric from the Turkish Cypriot side, which he said was “not constructive” to the peace process.

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar repeated proposals to open new crossing points between the divided island’s two sides, according to Turkish Cypriot newspaper Kibris.

In a television interview, Tatar proposed opening crossings at Mia Milia and Louroujina-Lymbia areas, claiming this would reduce traffic congestion. He said the Greek Cypriot side had not responded to the proposal.

Tatar described the Greek Cypriot counter-proposal for a crossing extending from Athienou to Kokkina as providing only “south to south” passage.

Source: In-Cyprus