UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon intends to call on President of the Republic of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci during a meeting on Sunday, to keep their commitment to make every possible effort to achieve a solution to the Cyprus problem.
According to Greek sources, during their ten-minute meeting in New York, Tsipras told Ban that there was progress in the talks but no solution yet.
The source said “we are optimistic, we are trying to find a solution on the issue of security, which cannot be linked to the presence of foreign troops on the island,” and reiterated that the Cyprus problem is one of occupation and as such is being addressed by Greece.
A readout regarding Ban`s meeting with Tsipras says that “the Secretary General and the Prime Minister also exchanged views on the developments in the Cyprus talks” and that “the Secretary General encouraged the continued support of Greece to the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders in their quest for a settlement within 2016.”
Human rights-based approach
It says that they “discussed the large movement of refugees and migrants towards Europe”, adding that “the Secretary General commended Athens’ efforts to address the needs of the arrivals and underlined the importance of a human rights-based approach.”
Furthermore, it notes that “they also spoke about the prospects for the resolution of the name dispute between Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” and that “the Secretary General assured the Prime Minister of the United Nations’ continued readiness, through the efforts of his Personal Envoy, Matthew Nimetz, to support the two countries to resolve the issue.”
Addressing the UN General Assembly, Tsipras referred to the Cyprus issue, assuring that Greece remained steadfast in its support to the talks between the two communities in Cyprus for a just, viable and comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue, based on UN resolutions and Cyprus` status as an EU member state.
Tsipras pointed out that “a solution can be viable only when the outdated system of guarantees is left in the past, and the withdrawal of Turkish occupation troops from the island is secured,” adding that “a solution must safeguard the sense of security and confidence among the people of Cyprus and create a foundation for broader cooperation in out unstable region.”
The Greek Prime Minister also referred to Greece` relations with Turkey, which have been strengthened by various initiatives, and also mentioned various tripartite cooperation agreements promoted in the region with Cyprus
Source: CNA
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