Efforts for a Cyprus solution must continue, Greek Prime Minister Tsipras said
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras believes that for the first time the conditions for a solution of the Cyprus problem are present despite developments on Monday evening in Mont Pelerin.
He also said that now it is important for the effort to reach a solution to continue.
Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci held in November two rounds of UN-led talks in Mont-Pelerin on the territorial aspect of the Cyprus problem.
The UN announced after the end of their talks on Monday evening, that despite their best efforts, they were not able to achieve the necessary further convergences on criteria for territorial adjustment that would have paved the way for the last phase of the talks.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory. Anastasiades and Akinci have been engaged in UN-led talks since May last year, with a view to reunite the island under a federal roof.
Addressing the parliamentary group of his party SYRIZA, on Wednesday, Tsipras stressed that the Cyprus problem is an international problem of an illegal invasion and occupation of the northern part of the island, not a bilateral problem.
He added that the Greek government has followed the longstanding national strategy of supporting with dedication the effort undertaken by the two communities to reach a solution in the framework of UN resolutions and of Cyprus` status as an EU member state.
The Greek government, he added, is in constant and close communication with the Cypriot government and closely monitors developments without interfering.
Tsipras further underlined that the only matter which the Greek government will have an opinion on and a right to address is the matter of guarantees and security, adding that any outcome will be put before the Cypriot people. Greece is one of three guarantor powers (the other two being the UK and Turkey) of Cyprus’ independence and territorial integrity.
This is the position, he noted, which he outlined when he met President Anastasiades last week in Athens and during their phone conversation yesterday when the latter informed him at length of how the talks went and the reasons why it was not possible to reach an agreement on the chapter of territory and the chapter of property in Switzerland.
The Greek Prime Minister said that together with President Anastasiades they agreed that it would be pointless to play a “blame game” and it is the intention of neither Greece nor Cyprus to play such a game.
What is important now is that the effort continues and the next steps forward are determined carefully so that soon positive developments can take place, he said.
Commenting on recent statements of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the Treaty of Lausanne, he said that the Greek government is particularly sensitive on matters pertaining to the respect of international treaties.
The Treaty of Lausanne, Tsipras said, has not be questioned by anyone in the international community and Turkey should understand this. Turkey should also understand that Greece is a friendly country, who will continue to build on a political relationship of trust provided that Turkey has the same position.
CNA/EM/EPH/MM/2016