Nicosia, Cyprus. The government has said it will reject any proposals for a Cyprus settlement that fall outside the framework of United Nations Security Council resolutions. It remains committed to resuming substantive negotiations from where they ended at Crans Montana in 2017.
Settlement framework
Government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said on Friday that the objective remained a solution based on a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality.
He said the solution must provide for one sovereignty, one citizenship and one international personality, in line with UN resolutions and compatible with European Union law.
Reports of new proposals
Asked about possible new ideas from the UN or the Turkish Cypriot side, including reports of a move towards a loose confederation model, Letymbiotis said he was not aware of such proposals.
He said that any idea put forward by any party that went beyond the UN Security Council framework would be rejected categorically.
Expanded conference
Letymbiotis said the expanded conference sought by the UN secretary-general would not be an end in itself, but a step towards restarting negotiations.
He said progress would require all sides to demonstrate political will.
Political momentum
The spokesman said the government recognised the difficulties ahead but saw political momentum around the UN initiative and the appointment of European Commission Vice President Rafaelle Fitto as EU special envoy for the Cyprus problem.
He also referred to the National Council as the institutional forum for collective assessment of developments concerning the Cyprus problem, saying unity did not require agreement on every issue but required responsibility, sobriety and a shared awareness of historical responsibility.