Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 10-03-18

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From: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>

CONTENTS

[01] PRESIDENT CYPRUS PROBLEM REVIEW

[02] PRESIDENT - MEETING - ECHR RULING

[01] PRESIDENT CYPRUS PROBLEM REVIEW

He also said that the Greek Cypriot side will continue the ongoing peace talks for a political settlement on the basis of the principle nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.

In his introductory remarks, during a televised press conference at the Presidential Palace, President Christofias said that Turkeys responsibilities are crystal clear and have all been written down, adding that Ankara has not been absolved of its guilt.

He said government efforts, acting in concert with Greece, apart from addressing the EU and the UN Security Council, continuously highlights the violation of international law and the UN Charter by Turkey, the need for the international community to move in the direction of Turkey in order to persuade it to change its stance.

The President said that in his first two years in office he was elected in February 2008 he has made 48 trips abroad, which focused on the question of Cyprus as well as bilateral relations with the countries he has visited.

The best way to confront Turkish tactics is to continue efforts for a solution in Cyprus as soon as possible, he stressed.

President Christofias said that the Greek Cypriot side has proved in deeds that it means what it says about a solution as soon as possible and added that the international community credits the Greek Cypriot side with sincerity and will to find a solution.

Referring to the current negotiations he is engaged in with the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community, the President said they have not yielded the results the Greek Cypriot side had anticipated, which is convergence on all the aspects of the Cyprus question that it wanted.

He explained that 20 meetings were taken up with the issue of governance and power-sharing, 18 on the issue of property, seven on citizenship, immigration and the illegal Turkish settlers in northern Turkish occupied areas, seven on the economy, six on territory, three on the EU, three on security and guarantees and four on other issues.

President Christofias pointed out that the content of proposals tabled at the negotiations is important and not the regular convening of meetings.

The lack of more progress is due to divergence of views between the two sides and not because there were no more meetings than the ones that have already taken place, he explained.

The President said his thoughts and efforts are guided by no other consideration than his concern for a just, viable and functional solution as soon as possible.

President Christofias also said that, if there is no political settlement by the end of his term in office, he will not seek reelection.

The President dismissed criticism from the opposition that he has made concessions at the negotiating table, saying that rotating presidency had been a topic of discussion by previous governments. Furthermore, he explained that the number of illegal Turkish settlers, now in occupied Cyprus, who will stay on the island for humanitarian reasons after a solution, has also been discussed in the past.

President Christofias stressed that he has not submitted anything completely new at the talks, noting that his proposals are based on previous proposals submitted by the Greek Cypriot side and are improvements on what has been tabled in the past.

On the domestic front, he said nobody can be pleased with the situation and pointed to the need for unity, which will support the negotiator of the Greek Cypriot side.

Christofias and Talat have been engaged in direct talks, under UN auspices, since September 2008 with a view to finding a negotiated settlement to reunite the country.

[02] PRESIDENT - MEETING - ECHR RULING

Present at the meeting were Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou, Attorney General Petros Clerides, Deputy Attorney General Akis Papasavvas, Under Secretary to the President Titos Christofides and Presidential Commissioner George Iacovou.

Speaking after the meeting, Government Spokesman Stephanos Stephanou said that the discussion was based on a legal opinion from experts on the ECHR ruling. Final decisions will be taken after consultation with the political parties, he said.

Stephanou noted that it has been a very useful meeting which aimed at discussing and consulting on the basis of the legal opinion that we have taken, in order to be ready with concrete positions to further discuss with the political parties our future steps as regards the ECHR ruling.

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