An informal five-party conference on the Cyprus issue will take place in Geneva in late March. The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, aims to find common ground between the parties involved.
Following the failure of the Crans-Montana talks, expectations for a resolution remain low. However, the upcoming informal conference in Geneva, chaired by the UN Secretary-General, is considered crucial for determining the next steps and the possibility of restarting official negotiations after eight years.
Cyprus, Greece, Turkey, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), and the United Kingdom will meet in Geneva to explore whether there is potential for a new negotiation process.
“The current Status Quo is not a solution”
Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides has made it clear that the current status quo cannot be considered a solution to the Cyprus problem and is not an option for Greek Cypriots. He conveyed this stance during a meeting with Rosemary DiCarlo, the UN Deputy Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, at the Presidential Palace in Nicosia on February 10.
In response, DiCarlo expressed her anticipation for the expanded meeting in March and conveyed the UN Secretary-General’s commitment to helping both sides move forward.
President Christodoulides has previously emphasized that the illegality stemming from the invasion, aggression, and the use of violence cannot be recognized.
Nicosia rejects any agreement that would formalize the division of the island, as well as Turkey and the TRNC’s demands for a permanent Turkish military presence.
“The only solution is two States”
The leader of the TRNC, Ersin Tatar, reiterated Turkey’s demand for a solution that would result in the establishment of two separate states on the island. In a written statement, Tatar claimed that this position is not just a strategy but the only formula for a solution.
“Looking particularly at the comments and statements made by our side, I understand that the rights of our people are being sidelined, and realities are being disregarded for political and ideological reasons, while the outdated narratives of the past continue to be used”, Tatar stated.
Tatar insists on a solution based on the cooperation of two states with sovereign equality and equal international status. He argues that this position is unjustly criticized by some in the Turkish Cypriot community, with the criticism originating from UN Security Council resolutions, which are advisory in nature and lack sanctions.
He considers the result of the 2004 referendums as the best example of this “dire situation” and stresses that he will not back down from his vision, which is supported by Turkey.
“We must see what this deadlock scenario truly means, a scenario formulated to serve the competitive interests of those who have deceived us for years, and fully explain to our people what these statements are aiming at,” he added. He also called on Britain to reconsider its policy “to reach a fair, permanent, and sustainable agreement in Cyprus”.
