Kombos: The key to a positive outcome in Cyprus talks is Ankara

Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos on Thursday said that the Turkish government’s stance will provide the “key” to there being progress on the Cyprus problem in the coming weeks and months, as he exited the day’s cabinet meeting. He said that United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had “received Turkey’s consent” for a new enlarged meeting on the Cyprus problem to be held, and said that as such, “it is now up to Turkey to possibly take up a new position, positively within what the secretary-general described yesterday”. Otherwise, he said, “it is up to them how they will explain it to the secretary-general”. “However, we, here, must have a positive outlook, which is why we insist on the dimension of relations between Europe and Turkey. We believe that there is the possibility of creating that critical mass which can give further impetus to the way in which the Turkish side can implement things,” he said. He added that “all of us admit, because I think there is no longer any doubt, that the key to a positive outcome is and remains in Ankara”. Asked about what the Greek Cypriot side intends to discuss with the European Commission’s Cyprus problem Raffaele Fitto, who will meet President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman on Friday, he said that there is no “specific strategy” for that meeting. “On the contrary, our strategy began in March 2023. Adjustments are made, of course, depending on developments. So, for us, we believe that the mobility on substantive proposals in relation to the European Union and relations between Europe and Turkey must be created,” he said. He added that “we have the proposals, we have the opportunity to convey them, to discuss them”, but acknowledged that “no one can make a safe prediction as to the time period within which they will be concluded”. “We can, however, safely predct and position ourselves as to our own will. In other words, if this depended only on us, be sure that it would be completed as soon as possible because we have this very clear disposition and strong will. However, time must be given, the necessary consultations must be held, given our own very positive attitude,” he said. Then asked about Guterres’ reference to methodology on Wednesday, he said that such a reference is “perfectly logical … in the sense that the effort aims to achieve a result on the substance during this process”. “I do not think anyone can interpret this as meaning that this discussion will take place from a to z within the framework of an enlarged meeting. There must be some discussions, some understandings, some negotiations, some exchanges of views on how they proceed, how this critical mass is formed,” he said. Asked if this position is in line with Erhurman’s four points, he said only that “we have seen the statements, both from the occupied territories and from Ankara”. “We refer to what the secretary-general has publicly stated, about the framework, about the convergences, about the need to walk the last mile in terms of the negotiation process and the substance,” he said. He added that “these are issues on which opinions can be expressed”, and that the Greek Cypriot side is on this front “synchronised with what the secretary-general said yesterday, with what we will discuss tomorrow in terms of issues related to the relationship between Europe and Turkey”. “We want to move forward to a final conclusion and a successful, enlarged process with results,” he said. Then asked whether Turkey’s upgraded role in the region and its closer relationship with the United States should be taken into account, he said that “Turkey’s role in the region has been upgraded for a very long time now”. “The Republic of Cyprus is making its own effort to highlight its own usefulness and role in the region, due to the network of relations we have with all the countries around us,” he said. He added that Turkey “has various aspects of the issue of relations between Europe and Turkey which interest it”. “These are issues which can be discussed under conditions, without affecting the core of the Cyprus problem, without changing our negotiating stance and position, in the sense that where leverage for progress can be created, the Republic of Cyprus, as a member state of the European Union, is ready to enter into a substantive treaty which will yield some positive results,” he said. Questioned on the reports that the idea of a “loose federation” may be put before the sides, he said that “what our side insisted on and will continued to insist on is that we can enter into a process of substantive negotiation for a comprehensive resolution of the Cyprus problem, only and exclusively within the framework set by the UN security council”. “Regarding anything which falls outside these parameters, both rhetorically and in substance, our position was and remains absolutely clear and firm,” he said.