Turkish Foreign Ministry: UN Secretary-General’s remarks  “distorted by the Greek Cypriot side before the ink is dry”

The Turkish Foreign Ministry has stated that the distortion of the remarks made by the UN Secretary General following his meeting in New York on the 4^th of June with President Mustafa Akıncı and Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Anastasiades clearly demonstrate the Greek Cypriot side’s lack of sincerity and absence of political will for a settlement.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry’s statement pointed out that Turkey is ready to reconvene the Geneva Cyprus Conference of 12th January 2017 without preconditions, and also determined to reach a just, lasting and comprehensive solution to the Cyprus issue. The remarks made by the UN Secretary-General following his meeting with the two leaders was considered to be a step towards the conclusion of the process.

The statement made by the Turkish Foreign Ministry is as follows,

“As also underlined by H.E. Mr. Mustafa Akıncı, President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, upon his return to the Island, the Secretary-General’s remarks reflect the understanding that there is a need to reconvene the Conference on Cyprus in the month of June without any preconditions. In fact, particular emphasis is placed on the Secretary-General’s remarks on the principles that ‘all issues will be discussed interdependently’ and that ‘nothing is agreed until everything is agreed’, through a direct reference to the Leaders’ Joint Declaration of 11^th of February 2014.

This being the case, the fact that the contents of the UN Secretary-General’s remarks have begun to be distorted by the Greek Cypriot side before the ink is even dry, and claims are being made that the preconditions put forth by the Greek Cypriot leader have been accepted, clearly demonstrate yet again the Greek Cypriot side’s lack of sincerity and the absence of political will for a settlement. That the contents of these remarks, which conveyed to the public the agreement reached during the Leaders’ meeting with the UN Secretary-General, have been distorted and misinterpreted by the Greek Cypriot side so as to serve their domestic policy interests, only reinforces doubts over the Greek Cypriot side’s intention to establish a new partnership with the Turkish Cypriot side on the basis of political equality.

If the aim of reconvening the Conference on Cyprus is to make use of this final opportunity to reach a comprehensive settlement and successfully conclude the negotiation process that has been continuing on the Island for over two years, then all the participants must adopt the constructive attitude displayed by Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side, reflecting the sincere will for a settlement”