New EU-Turkey dialogue will be an incentive for a new beginning on Cyprus problem, President of the Republic of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades has stated.

In an interview to Sunday’s newspaper “Kathimerini”, his first after the conclusion of Crans-Monata Conference on Cyprus, speaks about what happened during the Conference, the reasons the Conference did not conclude successfully and the framework of the “next day” regarding the Cyprus problem.

“What is important and might create a new perspective is the effort of the two communities to live or develop the conditions so that the new state of affairs as a result of an agreed solution, will create a truly independent state” he noted and underlined that dialogue between Turkey and the EU either for the Customs Union or for the special relationship that Turkey seeks with the EU, could be the motive for a new beginning on Cyprus problem.

In relation to the reasons of the failure of Crans Montana Conference, President Anastasiades stresses that he told the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci and the UNSG’s Special Adviser on Cyprus Espen Barth Eide, that moves without proper preparation of the issues, especially the issues of Guarantees and Security, would lead on one hand to increased expectations and on the other hand to certain failure, something that is worse than the continuation of  the talks on Cyprus.

Particularly as it concerns Espen Barth Eide’s role, President Anastasiades noted that UNSG’s Special Adviser on Cyprus was credited with good faith. His fault, as he said, was his misconception that what was really happening was what he wanted to happen. “And he lived with an illusion, that everything was almost agreed”, he added.

He also said that Eide is charged with the lack of the appropriate preparation, especially regarding the issue of Security and Guarantees. “He should had conveyed exactly the messages he was receiving, especially from Ankara”, he added.

Regarding the issue of Guarantees, President Anastasiades stressed that there is no one anymore that does not understand the Greek Cypriot positions on this issue and noted that the UNSG, in the framework he put forward in the Conference, was clear that it is not possible in 2017 to maintain rights for intervention and guarantees.

President also referred to the ongoing developments in energy field and the ENI-TOTAL exploratory drilling in block 11 in Cyprus’s EEZ, indicating that the Republic’s energy planning remains unchanged. He also said that during the Conference in Crans Montana he discussed the issue of energy with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.

The Conference on Cyprus held in Crans Montanta,Switzerland, on June 28 – 7 July broke down as Turkey insisted on retaining the guarantees it secured in the 1960 treaties that established the Republic of Cyprus and on maintaining Turkish troops on the island.