The Greek Cypriot side will not participate in the Greentree meeting with UN Secretary General and Turkish Cypriot leader to offer “earth and water”, President of the Republic of Cyprus Demetris Christofias has said.

“We will not go to New York to offer earth and water,” he said speaking during an event organized on Saturday by the Association of Craftsmen.

The Cypriot President also sent the message that in no case “we will accept arbitration and deadlines, to which some indirectly are referring to”.

He also pointed out that due to the crucial period for the Cyprus issue and the pressure expected to be exercised, he needs the support of all in the internal front.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki – moon has extended a new invitation to the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus, President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, to meet with him in New York 23-24 January in the framework of the UN backed direct talks for the Cyprus problem.

The first meeting between the two leaders and the UNSG took place in November 2010, followed by two more meetings held in Geneva on January 26 and July 7, 2011, during which both sides reaffirmed their commitment to finding a comprehensive solution as soon as possible, while in Geneva, on 26 January 2011, the sides agreed to intensify the negotiations.

After their October 2011 meeting in New York, the leaders continued the Cyprus talks as usual in the UN protected area in Nicosia.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied its northern third. Since 1974 Turkey occupies 37% of Cyprus` territory in defiance of UN Security Council resolutions, European Parliament decisions and resolutions, European Council decisions and other resolutions of international fora, which condemn the Turkish invasion and occupation.

Ankara has proclaimed a so called `state` in the occupied areas of Cyprus, which the UN have called illegal and asked the international community not to recognise it. The illegal state is only recognised by Ankara.

UN – led negotiations have been underway since 2008 between the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus with an aim to reunify the island under a federal roof.

The Republic of Cyprus is a full EU member state since May 2004.

Turkey aspires to join the EU but said it would not talk to Cyprus when Nicosia assumes the rotating EU presidency in the second half of 2012.