Nicosia is hoping that the December 11th trilateral in Nicosia will constitute a decisive first step in kickstarting Cyprus issue negotiations with President Christodoulides set to brief the National Council of political leaders next Friday, following the conclusion of his contacts.
Government spokesman Constandinos Letympiotis described today's Christodoulides-Holguin meeting as 'very good and constructive', with the President taking the opportunity to put forward issues of substance pertaining to the ultimate goal of resuming talks, as well as the situation on the ground as regards confidence building measures agreed upon during two informal five party conferences on Cyprus, held earlier this year.
The focal point of today's bilateral deliberations was the joint meeting with Tufan Erhurman on December 11th, with Letympiotis saying Nicosia was looking forward to the encounter 'becoming as a starting point in kickstarting negotiations'.
EU envoy on Cyprus Johannes Hahn will be in Cyprus on the same day, the spokesman stressed. 'It's a happy coincidence', given the importance of the Cyprus issue European dimension.
The National Council set to meet on Friday
Leaders will be briefed on December 12th, in the immediate aftermath of the Erhurman-Holguin trilateral, with Letympiotis adding that the goal of the UNSG personal envoy's visit, was to prepare the informal multilateral next year.
'Holguin will also be meeting Mr.Hahn during his stay here and will then visit Athens and Ankara for consultations aimed at setting a date for the five party conference', the spokesman disclosed.
He reiterated the government's view that the multilateral should be convened the soonest possible, noting that its synthesis, is the one that allows and essentially imposes a discussion on substance with the goal of kickstarting talks where they left off at Crans Montana.
'The President is fully prepared', he added and has answers to everything, including the four point Erhurman proposal. Christodoulides will be putting this to the Turkish-Cypriot leader when they meet on Thursday.
Asked whether any specific suggestions were made in light of next week's trilateral, the spokesman said there was 'specific discussion', both on the substance of the talks resumption goal as well as preparing the multiateral conference called by Antonio Guterres and the course of confidence building measures.
Commenting on the optimism expressed by Holguin, he said that there could be no interpretation of the reasons, but expressed the hope that it 'turns into substance on the table of dialogue in the hope of becoming negotiations the soonest possible.'
Holguin's longer stay on the island is considered by Nicosia as providing the impetus for a number of important contacts, with Hahn's presence seen as a 'significant opportunity'.
There was no update on any meetings prior to December 11th, with the rest of Holguin's programme to be announced by the UN in Cyprus.
Commenting on a ten point proposal submitted by Erhurman, Letympiotis said that 'everything has been studied', but discussions cannot be conducted publicly.
'They must take place in the presence of Holguin if they are to be constructive and effective,' he stressed.
On the UNSG personal envoy's reference to a 'Turkish side' in the north, the spokesman said that such verbal errors cannot be viewed as positions.
'Steadfast UN and international community positions are clear and one can understand the sensitivities and delicate handling that the issue requires', he concluded.
SOURCE-CNA