The Greek Cypriot side is “completely prepared” for the specialist level talks to begin in Mont Pelerin on Wednesday, regarding the security and guarantees issue, President Nicos Anastasiades said on Tuesday.
Representatives from the three guarantor powers of the island’s security (Greece, Turkey, and the UK) will meet alongside Greek Cypriot negotiator Andreas Mavroyiannis, Turkish Cypriot negotiator Ozdil Nami, and EU representatives to discuss the approximately 56-year-old guarantees issue.
In statements on the side-lines of the In Business awards ceremony, the President said that Nicosia and Athens were “in complete sync” on the issue, as per daily contact he has had with the Greek government.
President Anastasiades also echoed statements by Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias, saying talks in Mont Pelerin, “are not an issue of optimism, but rather an issue of determination. From there on, it [the process] will depend on the political will of Turkey.
“I want to believe that through the dialogue, which will begin, such proposals will exist that we will allow us to overcome one of the most significant issues we are facing,” he said.
Earlier on Tuesday, Kotzias, who has taken on criticism for the talks held in Geneva last week, said that solving the issue will be based on Turkey’s will at the negotiating table.
However, Turkey has seemed unyielding in its positions, with statements from the government spokesperson Numan Kurtulmus holding to the line that guarantees will not be abandoned.
Kurtulmus said: “The largest guarantee for the creation of a bizonal Cyprus is Turkey’s presence [on the island].”
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