As part of his ongoing shuttle diplomacy, Special Advisor Eide met again with President Akıncı yesterday, and confirmed that his shuttling between the two leaders would continue.

“The good news is that both leaders are committed to solving the Cyprus problem, and they would like to do it in Geneva. Both have confirmed that they would like to reconvene the Conference [on Cyprus],” said the UN Secretary General’s Special Advisor.

Eide noted that the leaders are far apart in their approach to the details of the Geneva Conference, and as such, that it will be important to continue the shuttle diplomacy to bridge the distance between the two sides. He warned, however, that this process is becoming more complex as the issues and negotiations progress.

Speaking to the media following yesterday’s meeting with President Akıncı, Eide said that, “for the first time in living memory,” both leaders are determined to go to a final conference to really solve all the outstanding issues and added that he seeks to build a common ground in this regard.

Eide continued that both leaders are aware that there would be dramatic consequences if the process ends in failure, and neither party had any desire to terminate the process.

“Where I see an important agreement is on the fact that an essential element of a comprehensive deal is clarity on security and guarantees in its entirety ; this is not only a question of foreign troops and guarantee systems, but a broader question of how we create the security vision in which Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots and all Cypriots, and  everybody who is on this island,  can feel secure today, tomorrow and in the future; for their life, for their property, for their sense of community and identity and for the state,” he said. “This is the key element of the security issue; nobody disagrees with what I just said, everybody agrees that this discussion has to happen.”

Eide added, “This discussion of course is related to many other issues; the governance structure, just to mention one; it has to do with internal elements of security, it has to do with external elements of security. We have been elaborating ideas. These ideas have been reasonably welcomed I think, but we are far away from an agreement on this.’’

“That’s why we need Geneva, because these issues can only be dealt with in Geneva because they pertain also to Turkey, Greece and the United Kingdom, and also to the European Union in their special role” Eide continued.

Asked how long his shuttling efforts might continue, Eide said “as long as I think it is useful.” Finally, he emphasised that, as long as the negotiations continue, he has hope for a positive outcome.