Menelaou says Turkish side is delaying Cyprus talks progress

Nicosia, Cyprus. Greek Cypriot chief negotiator Menelaos Menelaou said on Sunday that the “Turkish side” has been “slowing down developments” on the Cyprus problem, particularly regarding the convening of an enlarged meeting.

Enlarged meeting

Speaking to newspaper Haravgi, Menelaou said United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres “has stated that he will go ahead and convene an enlarged meeting”.

He said the UN had initially aimed to hold the meeting last November, before setting a target of late July or early August.

“All this time, we have been faced with an approach of slowing down developments from the Turkish side. We hope that further steps and the convening of an enlarged meeting will not face the same obstacle,” he said.

Guterres visit

Menelaou said Guterres’ visit to Cyprus last month had left a “very positive mark” and that the UN secretary-general’s reference to convergences was “very clear on two crucial issues”.

“Firstly, [it is clear that] the basis of a solution is the federal framework. One state. Secondly, that everything which has been achieved in the past must be preserved and a new effort must focus on the remaining distance,” he said.

Positions on a settlement

Asked whether all sides now agree on the federal framework, Menelaou said the Greek Cypriot side is “committed to the basis of a solution and to preserving the convergences and the six points of the Guterres framework”.

The six points covered security and guarantees, troops, territory, property, Turkish nationals in Cyprus, and power-sharing during negotiations in 2017.

Regarding the Turkish side, Menelaou said public statements from Ankara continue to reiterate the demand for a “two-state” solution.

“We follow the frequent meetings and statements between Turkish government officials and politicians from that part of the political spectrum in the Turkish Cypriot community which expresses this line,” he said.

He added that, since the change in leadership in the Turkish Cypriot community, there had been no public reference by the new Turkish Cypriot leadership to a federal solution.

“As a matter of fact, we cannot assess the position of the Turkish Cypriot side independently of the line which Turkey proclaims. Therefore, there is an issue here regarding the Turkish side’s stance which must be clarified,” he said.

Asked whether Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman’s adherence to UN resolutions on Cyprus was not “clear”, Menelaou said that “there are some facts which cannot be ignored”.