Talks to solve the Cyprus problem should resume when the leaders of the island’s two communities reach a common understanding that adequate preparation has been made on a lower level and this time there are sound expectations for great progress and prospects of a solution, Cyprus` Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Nicos Emiliou has said.

Addressing the 41st meeting of the Cyprus Federation of America, Emiliou said that due to the financial crisis, “we are back where we were in 1975,” when after the Turkish invasion and occupation “we had to rebuild our economy from scratch, despite the fact that we had lost 75% of our wealth-producing resources.”

Emiliou referred to the high unemployment rates and the problems faced by people on a daily basis, and noted that it was possible that the financial crisis could be exploited in order to impose an unfair on the Greek Cypriots solution of the Cyprus problem.

He pointed out that it was necessary to be prepared for Turkish moves and noted the position of President Nicos Anastasiades` government that proper preparation had to be made prior to the resumption of talks so that the negotiations do not end in a new deadlock.

Emiliou said the President`s intention was to appoint a negotiator, who would work for the resumption of the talks on a leaders` level, adding that the appointment of a negotiator would also allow Ankara to become more involved in the talks, since it was Turkey that was occupying Cyprus and was controlling developments in the northern Turkish-occupied areas.

He also said that, since Cyprus was full member of the EU, any solution should be within the EU framework, adding that talks for a settlement would continue to be under UN auspices.

“We advocate a more active and substantial participation by the EU in the talks in areas which affect the EU, namely the acquis communautaire, essentially the fundamental freedoms,” he added.

Referring to Turkish remarks about an international conference on the Cyprus problem, Emiliou said this could deal with the external aspects of the Cyprus problem and should take place after an agreement was reached on the internal aspects.

Repeated UN-led rounds of peace talks have so far failed to lead to a political settlement that would reunite Cyprus, divided since the 1974 Turkish invasion, due to Turkish intransigence and unacceptable positions for a two-state solution.