Nicosia, Cyprus. Greek Cypriot negotiator Menelaos Menelaou criticised UN secretary-general personal envoy Maria Angela Holguin’s recent public intervention, saying it presented a distorted picture of responsibility for stalled progress on the Cyprus issue.
Menelaou challenges Holguin op-ed
Speaking on CyBC morning radio on Monday, Menelaou said Holguin’s op-ed used an “equalising logic” that placed both sides on the same footing despite what he described as sustained obstruction by the Turkish and Turkish Cypriot sides. He said the article included elements never raised by the Greek Cypriot side and did not reflect the reality on the ground.
Claims of deliberate delay
Menelaou said the core reason dialogue remains at an impasse is a deliberate tactic of delay and diversion. “The problem is not timing or internal processes,” he said, “but the persistence of positions that undermine the agreed framework for a solution.”
Dispute over timing and political calendar
Holguin argued that Cyprus’ assumption of the EU Council presidency and the upcoming May parliamentary elections limit the possibility of significant changes, and that allowing new Turkish Cypriot leadership time to settle in makes the coming months a complicated period to achieve major changes in the dialogue process.
Menelaou rejected that rationale, saying readiness for negotiations depends on political will and adherence to established UN parameters. He said obstacles stem from the attitude of the Turkish side and added that this assessment was based on facts rather than an interest in assigning blame.
Christodoulides rejects proposal
The comments came as President Nikos Christodoulides publicly dismissed Holguin’s proposal and said he was prepared to attend an expanded conference as early as next week to announce the resumption of talks from where they broke down at Crans-Montana in 2017. Christodoulides called references to elections and the EU presidency laughable and said neither affected the government’s readiness.
What do you think is needed to restart talks on the Cyprus issue?
