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Main News
Anastasiades: GC side won’t be to blame if Geneva summit collapses
Alithia, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Negotiations Process, EU Matters
OVERVIEW
President Nicos Anastasiades said Friday that as long as “unacceptable” claims for a two-state solution and sovereign equality remain on the table, then responsibility for a potential collapse of upcoming UN-led settlement processes cannot lie with the GC side, but with those who deviate from UN resolutions.
Anastasiades was responding to a question regarding information that the UN is keeping its bar of expectations low as regards the upcoming informal five-party summit to take place in Geneva on April 27-29. Politis reports that Anastasiades’ constant reiterations that his positions are in line with UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions, and that those of the Turkish side are not, is an attempt to ensure in advance that fault for a potential collapse of the new UN initiative will not fall onto the GC side.
Anastasiades also said that the positions of the GC side are “clear”, noting that if the TC side abandons the positions it holds today, that deviate from a huge compromise made in 1977 by President Archbishop Makarios, and if the TC side shows willingness for the creation or transformation of the Republic of Cyprus into a truly independent, sovereign state that will not serve the interests of third parties, but only those of its people, both GCs and TCs, “then I see no reason why there should not be a solution”.
Politis reports that the UN Secretary General’s (UNSG) special envoy Jane Holl Lute, who is scheduled to hold a one-hour meeting with Anastasiades on Sunday morning, will only seek to confirm what she has so far understood to be the GC side’s approach to the Geneva summit. She is also scheduled to meet with the TC leader Ersin Tatar later in the day. Phileleftheros reports that a meeting between the two leaders was not requested, nor between the two sides’ chief negotiators, with the paper noting that the TC side’s opposition to such a meeting is well-known.
Phileleftheros reports that Nicosia has not received any news regarding the EU’s participating at the Geneva summit, though an update might be provided during the meeting with Lute.
Phileleftheros reports that Foreign Minister Nicos Christodoulides on Friday explained what is meant by the role of ‘active observer’ that will be undertaken by the EU. Christodoulides said the EU will have a role and voice in negotiations, citing as an example the role played an EU representative during talks in Crans-Montana, who would step in to table what is in line with the EU, allowing obstacles to be overcome. He added that the EU has yet to receive its formal invitation to the conference by the UN due to Turkey’s objections, but expressed hope that this obstacle will be overcome. Alithia reports Christodoulides also said Ankara cannot be simultaneously requesting that the EU modernises the customs union while posing obstacles to the EU’s participation in Cyprus peace efforts, adding that the results of the latter are tied with the former.
Meanwhile, Politis also reports on statements issued by European Council chief Charles Michel, who expressed the EU’s full support to Greece and Cyprus, accusing Ankara of using the migration issue as a lever of pressure toward the EU and in its relations with Greece. Michel stressed the need for solutions to be found via negotiations.
Commenting on the ‘sofagate’ incident that marked his recent visit to Ankara along with the EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Michel said any reaction from him would have only fanned flames. The dailies also report on the response to the incident by Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, who referred to the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as a dictator. Haravgi reports the remark was slammed by Turkish Foreign Minister Melvut Cavusoglu, while Politis reports that Commission spokesperson Peter Stano stepped in to say that the EU has voiced its concerns regarding democracy in Turkey, calling the situation “complicated”, but said it is not up to the Commission to characterise persons or systems.
KEY ACTORS
Anastasiades
>> As long as unacceptable claims for a two-state solution and sovereign equality remain on the table, then responsibility for a potential collapse of 5+1 cannot lie with the GC side, but with Turkey & TC side whose position deviate from UN resolutions
>> If the TC side abandons current positions and shows willingness for the transformation of Cyprus into a truly independent, sovereign state that will not serve the interests of third parties, but only those its people, then there should be no reason why a solution could not be found
Christodoulides
>> Ankara cannot be simultaneously requesting that the EU modernises the customs union while posing obstacles to the EU’s participation in Cyprob efforts, since the two are interlinked
Michel (EU)
>> EU fully supports Greece and Cyprus
>> Ankara using migration issue as a lever of pressure toward the EU and in its relations with Greece