President Nicos Anastasiades has said the “sovereign people” of Cyprus will be called to vote and decide on the settlement, in a televised message on Friday, after a decision to restart talks.
Anastasiades has reassured Greek Cypriots that no solution will be put before the public, which does not answer all their concerns.
President Anastasiades said that he has no intention of entering into confrontation with other political forces on the island, after the decision to restart negotiations and hold a multilateral conference was made on Thursday.
The President has said that the decision to restart talks is important as a deadlock created after talks in Mont Pelerin was removed.
“We will continue discussions from the point they left off,” President Anastasiades said.
He added that all the political forces on the island had agreed that serious dangers could develop from an extended impasse or end of the whole process.
TURKISH SIDE COMMITTED TO SUBMITTING A MAP
President Anastasiades has said the Turkish side has accepted and is committed to submitting a map of territorial adjustments on January 11, which is a precondition of a settlement.
He added the Turkish side has also agreed to discuss all issues interdependently, including the territorial adjustment criteria.
“Progress on the aforementioned issues, will allow us to approach a solution, creating the prerequisites and prospects for a successful end before the discussion on the core issue of security and guarantees, which will follow at the Conference on Cyprus,” he said.
The President added that there is no issue of arbitration in the process, as the leaders are continuing discussions in the method that nothing is agreed until all issues have been agreed.
President Anastasiades has said that the dates selected, for a process which began 18 months ago, could not be seen as “tight deadlines”.
IN CONTACT WITH GREECE
“In these critical hours, I am in constant and close cooperation with the Greek government, which steadfastly remains at the side of Cyprus,” the President said.
He added that maintaining unity in Cyprus after the latest development is important. “That is why I have called a meeting of the National Council next Wednesday. I am calling on all political forces to avoid any baseless interpretations and positions,” he said.
“The worst service that could be done to our country today is to debate amongst ourselves and cause confusion,” he said.
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