Cyprus negotiations will continue in Geneva
7 January, 2017Çavuşoğlu: “No one should feel threatened by the presence of Turkish troops on the island”
9 January, 2017Secretary-General Antonio Guterres believes there is “a historic opportunity” for a breakthrough in upcoming negotiations that would reunite the island of Cyprus after more than four decades, the United Nations said on Friday.
The new UN chief will be opening and chairing a conference on 12 January with the Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders and Cyprus’ three guarantors — Britain, Greece and Turkey — that will be seeking agreement on post-settlement security arrangements, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.
The Geneva conference will follow three days of talks between the island’s Greek Cypriot Leader, Nicos Anastasiades, and President Mustafa Akıncı starting 9 January to try to reach a settlement. “We’re at a very decisive phase in the Cyprus peace talks,” Dujarric said. “At this point it’s really about being supportive of the process and seeing how the parties can finally bridge the final gaps.”
Guterres met on Thursday with Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Çavuşoğlu and late Friday afternoon with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias. The secretary-general “appealed to all parties to use this opportunity to find a creative and mutually acceptable solution that address the concerns of both communities,” Dujarric said.
Earlier, Dujarric said that Gutteres emphasized “the historic opportunity” in his meeting and “underlined the need for mutually acceptable solutions that address the concerns of both communities.” He said the secretary-general also “expressed hope that all parties would demonstrate the necessary creativity in seeking innovative solutions.”