Government Spokesman Stephanos Stephanou on Wednesday criticized Turkey, pointing out that it wants to deviate from the negotiating process for the Cyprus solution, as is stated in the UN resolutions.

Speaking to the press following statements made by Turkish Minister for European Union Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis, Stephanou, Stephanou said that Ankara wants to promote a multilateral conference on the Cyprus problem, noting that the Cyprus government rejects such a thing.

“This is a procedure that we reject. It was emphatically rejected by the President of the Republic when Turkey attempted to promote a meeting between Mr. Talat (the former leader of the Turkish Cypriot community) and the Greek Premier, following the President’s desire to meet with the Turkish leadership to explain his vision for a Cyprus solution”, the Spokesman said.

He also pointed out that Turkey has a firm and unchanging position for a multilateral conference on the Cyprus problem, with the participation of the two communities in Cyprus (the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots), Greece and Turkey.

The Spokesman furthermore said that it is very important for  the Greek Cypriot side to have a clear position on the negotiating process as it is stated by the UN and not to deviate from it.

Stephanou also underlined that the response to Turkey’s stance and to all those in the international community that want to assist Ankara, is our firm persistence and consistency to the relevant UN resolutions and procedures for the Cyprus solution.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. The last round of UN-backed talks began in 2008 with an aim to reunite the island under a federal roof.

Since May 2010, when Dervis Eroglu became leader of the Turkish Cypriot community, progress has stalled and the talks at leaders’ level have come to a halt.

The leaders of the two communities met with UNSG Ban-Ki Moon in New York last January for the fifth time. In his statements, following the meeting, Ban said limited progress had been achieved and invited both sides to make decisive moves in the negotiation chapters of governance, property and citizenship.