I expect that during the social dinner of Sunday we will have the opportunity to have a resumption of the Cyprus negotiations, President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades said on Thursday, referring to the dinner that UNSG`s Special Advisor for Cyprus Espen Barth Eide will host for the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus.
The dinner that Eide will host on Sunday for Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci, will be the first encounter of the two men since UN-led peace negotiations were suspended in mid February, when Akinci walked out of the talks.
In statements to US channel CNBC, on the sidelines of the European Peopel`s Party Congress that takes place in Malta, the President said that «we hope that after the referendum (in Turkey) we will have a new stance on behalf of Turkey”, adding that in the last months there was a hardening of its positions and retreat of convergences that were reached at the negotiating table for the Cyprus talks.
`I expect that the opportunity will be given during the social dinner on Sunday so as to have a resumption of the negotiations”, he pointed out.
He added that the Greek Cypriot side has always been committed to the dialogue, noting that the most important thing is that `we are committed to finding a just, viable solution where everyone will be winners, that will also be taking into account the concerns of both communities without creating winners or losers”.
The President said that he is always ready for dialogue in order to continue the negotiations to find a comprehensive solution that will satisfy first and foremost the interests of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots and not the interests of third countries.
`We do not need any kind of security or guarantees, we do not need foreign troops nor to become a protectorate of any country, “he concluded.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. UN led talks between the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot communities resumed in May 2015 with a view to reunite the island under a federal roof. The talks were interrupted by Akinci in mid February.