FAMAGUSTA GAZETTE – President Nikos Christodoulides expressed optimism about resuming negotiations on the Cyprus issue during an interview with Phleleftheros.
The newspaper published the interview under the headline, “President Nikos Christodoulides: We are on the Eve of the First Important Developments with the Aim of Resuming Negotiations.”
Christodoulides reiterated his goal of restarting talks from where they left off in 2017, blaming the Turkish side for the lack of progress at the informal Geneva Conference.
He highlighted the appointment of a UN Secretary-General’s personal representative and a planned July conference as key steps toward resuming negotiations. He also emphasized the importance of Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs) in advancing a solution.
Christodoulides claimed that the Turkish side sought to declare a deadlock at Geneva to push for a two-state solution, which he said remains their stance.
He stressed that no proposals outside the agreed framework were discussed and noted international support for the UN framework.
On his upcoming April 2 meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, Christodoulides expressed hope for progress, citing commitments made to the UN Secretary-General.
Christodoulides argued that the EU’s increased involvement in the Cyprus issue, driven by Greek Cypriot initiatives, could lead to positive steps if Türkiye and northern Cyprus demonstrate political will.
Despite challenges, he remains hopeful about achieving substantial progress by returning to the UN framework and building on past negotiations.