At a one-on-one meeting on Friday night in Mont Pelerin, President Nicos Anastasiades had requested to have a one week break to consult with Greek Prime Minister, Alexis Tsipras and Greek Cypriot parties after week-long talks on the Cyprus problem’s territorial readjustment chapter, Turkish Cypriot spokesperson Baris Burcu said.
After the break leaders will be holding meetings on the territorial readjustment issue in Geneva, Switzerland on November 20.
Burcu added that the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci had agreed to the break in talks.
Akinci’s spokesperson said that some progress had been made in outlining the territorial readjustment criteria, and that the Turkish Cypriot leader had not requested the break.
WANTED ANASTASIADES TO FEEL COMFORTABLE
Burcu has said that President Anastasiades had requested to meet with the Turkish Cypriot leader one-on-one on Friday night.
“We were not very pleased with this request, but surely if we are to move forward in a future partnership and create political will, we did not want to let down our interlocutor, Mr Anastasiades. We thought that this would surely make him feel more comfortable,” Burcu said.
On the negotiations held in Mont Pelerin, Burcu added that once the criteria are agreed and a date is set for the five-party conference, with guarantor powers, then both sides can work together on putting the criteria down on a map.
POSITIVE REACTION TO MONT PELERIN TALKS
Asked if the week-long discussions in Switzerland were a lost opportunity, Burcu said no, adding that they worked for five-days on their goal.
Burcu said that there was no map submitted by the Turkish Cypriot side, but that the three criteria for the territory issue along with all other issues were discussed.
TO GENEVA WITH THE SAME FORMULA
Burcu has said that in Geneva, where territorial readjustment issues will be discussed, both sides will need 2-3-4 days to discuss how this process will be completed.
GOAL OF AGREEMENT ON TERRITORY ISSUE WITHIN REACH
Government spokesperson Nikos Christodoulides said that the Greek Cypriot side considers that the goal of reaching an agreement on the territory issue during talks in Geneva is within reach.
In his statements, Christodoulides said that the aim of the talks in Geneva is to have an agreement on the territorial adjustment criteria that will then be used to draw a map, so that the two sides can enter the final phase of the negotiations.
Asked about the prospects to achieve a comprehensive agreement on the territory issue in Geneva, Christodoulides said that this is their goal. “We consider that it is within reach. It will depend on the results of the dialogue. No one can determine what the final outcome will be,” he added.
CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE IN MONT PELERIN
The spokesman said that a constructive dialogue took place between the two leaders in Mont Pelerin, noting that progress was achieved on the issues discussed.
Asked if there was progress during the discussion on territorial adjustment criteria, Christodoulides said that there was progress but there are still issues that need to be further discussed or for which a more in depth exchange of views needs to be made.
He added that there has been a remarkable progress “that allows us to be optimistic.”
Asked how many days the talks in Geneva will last, he said that their initial decision is three days.
Invited to say if any map was put on the table, he replied that the territory criteria have not been agreed yet. Neither side has tabled a map, he added.
Asked why the talks will continue in Geneva, Christodoulides recalled that the Turkish Cypriot leader does not want to discuss the territory issue in Nicosia.
SUBSTANTIVE DISCUSSION ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT CHAPTER
For us what is important is not the venue but to have a substantive discussion on this very important chapter and this is why it was agreed to continue abroad, he said.
Asked if Akinci had brought up his demand to set a date for a five-party or a multi-lateral conference, Christodoulides he added that this issue was not discussed as there was no agreement on criteria that would be used to draw a map.
He said that what is important is not just to determine a date for the conference but to have such progress so that the conference has chances to succeed. Otherwise, he added, there will be a serious risk of failure that will also threaten the process itself.
Replying to another question, he said that the two leaders exchanged views on the security issue during a one-on-one meeting they had.
Christodoulides said that the two negotiators will continue their meetings in Nicosia during the week break.
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