President Nikos Christodoulides said on Sunday that there was nothing to fear from negotiations, adding that with genuine political will, formal talks on the Cyprus issue could resume.
The Greek Cypriot side remains ready for a new UN-led process to start from where talks left off at Crans-Montana, he added.
“I often say that all of us, including myself, will be judged at the negotiating table. I do not understand why anyone should be afraid, because it is about fear, to sit at the negotiating table and discuss," said Christodoulides
The president made the comments after a memorial service for former president Glafcos Clerides, where he paid tribute to the late leader's legacy, describing him as an advocate of "assertive realism" and crediting him with helping secure Cyprus' accession to the European Union.
‘Everyone knew about the 19 proposals’
Asked if his 19 proposals on confidence-building measures (CBMs), methodology and substance were published in the Greek Cypriot press on Sunday so as to inform the UN and Turkish Cypriot side of them, Christodoulides replied in the negative, arguing both have known about the proposals since 18 September. He did not contest the veracity of the 19 points published.
The list of proposals published in Phileleftheros on Sunday are included below verbatim:
1. Acceptance of the Louroudjina crossing point, with passage through Kokkina, initially for residents of Pyrgos.
2. Acceptance of Louroudjina as a crossing point, using the Kampos-Ambelikou-Karavostasi route.
3. Reactivation of the IMAGINE programme (editor's note: this was agreed and included in the communiqué issued after the latest meeting between Christodoulides and Erhurman).
4. Return of Varosha, with the Port of Famagusta operating under the auspices of the European Commission (proposals of the 2006 Finnish Presidency).
5. Demining of suspected hazardous areas (70,000 square metres on each side).
6. Military dialogue between the National Guard and the Turkish occupation forces, in the presence of UNFICYP.
7. Examination of the two documents relating to the Pyla agreement and work towards harmonising them.
8. Free access to churches restored by the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage, as well as more visits to mosques in government-controlled areas.
9. Restoration of Greek place names on road signs.
10. Joint meetings on youth issues, cultural heritage and the civil society advisory group. Establishment of a new group on natural disasters.
11. Joint participation in the bicommunal Pyla Festival on 17 October (editor's note: this took place).
12. "Cross-chapter" negotiations covering multiple chapters (territory-property, governance-security and guarantees).
13. Use of the convergences document as the basis for the resumption of negotiations (including the talks at Crans-Montana).
14. Restoration of the school in Rizokarpaso and transfer of the former Cooperative Bank building to the community for use as a cultural centre.
15. Maronite requests: restoration of three churches and appointment of a teacher for the kindergarten (there is reference to this in the communiqué issued after the latest Christodoulides-Erhurman meeting).
16. Restoration of the Armenian Monastery (Armenomonastiro). There is reference to this in the communiqué issued after the latest Christodoulides-Erhurman meeting.
17. End to violations in the buffer zone.
18. Organisation of friendly football matches.
19. A two-day meeting of the leaders focused on Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs) and, subsequently, their expansion, with the participation of the European Union and the guarantor powers, for the announcement of the resumption of negotiations (in the presence of the UN Secretary-General or his Personal Envoy).
‘Soon as UN chief sets date, we’ll be there’
Asked whether a new trilateral meeting on Cyprus was approaching, Christodoulides said he was ready for the UN Secretary-General to set a specific date and “regardless of whatever else may exist, we will be there and we will respond positively."
Asked whether additional crossing points could be announced at the trilateral meeting, the president said the aim was to continue with António Guterres the discussion that began with the UN envoy in Cyprus on confidence-buliding measures (CBMs), methodology and substance.
Unilateral declaration of independence
Asked if there was reason for optimism despite remarks by the Turkish Cypriot leader marking the anniversary of the unilateral declaration of the breakaway state on Sunday, Christodoulides said: "If there is genuine political will, then of course I believe that the resumption of negotiations is achievable.”
He added that 43 years ago, while Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side supported the illegal declaration of the breakaway state, the international community immediately judged it unlawful and illegal, calling on everyone not to cooperate with this entity.
"So many years later, and despite Turkey's efforts, despite the position being expressed in relation to a two-state solution, the position of the international community is clear and that is also the strongest message to the Turkish side.”
The Republic of Cyprus, meanwhile, “is continuously being upgraded through the strengthening of all the elements of our country's power,” which in turn impacts the effort to reunify the island, argued Christodoulides.
