Christodoulides ready for expanded Cyprus conference if UN proposes it

Nicosia, Cyprus. President Nikos Christodoulides said he is ready to participate in a bilateral, trilateral or expanded conference on the Cyprus problem if United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres considers it appropriate.

Talks with Erhurman

Speaking on Thursday before his latest meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman, Christodoulides said he would submit 19 specific proposals concerning negotiating methodology and confidence-building measures.

“I hope for positive results. The coming week is critical,” he said.

Contacts with EU and UN officials

Christodoulides said he spoke by telephone that morning with the European Union’s special envoy for the Cyprus problem, Raffaele Fitto.

He also said he would meet UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo during his first days in New York.

“We are fully prepared, should the UN secretary-general deem it appropriate, to participate in and discuss matters at not only a bilateral meeting but also a trilateral meeting or an expanded conference,” he said.

Asked whether Fitto would undertake further initiatives, Christodoulides said the EU envoy had already acted within his mandate on EU-Turkey relations.

Mixed-marriage citizenship issue

On mixed marriages, which has been raised during his discussions with Erhurman, Christodoulides said the matter was not a confidence-building measure.

He said the Republic of Cyprus applies the same citizenship rules to all applicants regardless of their background, under regulations subject to daily EU oversight.

The issue concerns children of Turkish Cypriots married to Turkish settlers, whose applications for Republic of Cyprus citizenship, and consequently EU citizenship, are subject to additional scrutiny not applied to other applicants.

Conference scheduling

Asked whether Guterres’ decision not to hold a tripartite or expanded conference during the UN General Assembly week restricted his negotiating position, Christodoulides rejected the suggestion.

He said the secretary-general was due to hold about 186 bilateral meetings with heads of delegations during the official week, adding that scheduling was not the obstacle.