Limassol, Cyprus. President Nikos Christodoulides said on Monday that he does not downplay or underestimate recent statements by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on the Cyprus problem. He said the United Nations process continues to move within the framework set by the UN secretary-general.
Response to Fidan comments
Speaking to journalists in Limassol, Christodoulides was asked about Fidan’s comments following the Turkish foreign minister’s meeting with UN Secretary-General personal envoy Maria Angela Holguin, during which Fidan reportedly reiterated support for a two-state solution as a more realistic option.
Christodoulides said he had been briefed on developments through the UN envoy and had exchanged messages regarding recent contacts, but said he would not disclose further details.
UN framework
He added that the United Nations continues to operate within a defined framework and would not undertake initiatives outside the UN Charter, particularly at a time when international law and the post-1945 system were being questioned.
The president said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has set a clear direction for the process and that efforts to move forward on the Cyprus issue remain aligned with that framework.
“The UN initiative is moving in a specific direction, a direction that the secretary-general himself has given and we are continuing this effort,” he said.
Statements from Ankara
Fidan is reported to have said during his meeting with Holguin in Ankara that the most realistic solution to the Cyprus problem would be the status quo, meaning two separate states on the island.
According to Turkish foreign ministry sources cited in local media, he said approaches that do not recognise what Turkey describes as the sovereign equality and equal international status of Turkish Cypriots would not lead to progress, and that any process must reflect realities on the ground.
Possible conference
Holguin’s meetings in Turkey are part of a wider round of contacts ahead of a possible enlarged conference on the Cyprus issue involving the two Cypriot sides, the three guarantor powers, Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom, as well as the United Nations.
The proposed meeting is expected to take place by early August.
