FM talks Cyprus, FYROM at United Nations

Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias said yesterday that Greece is willing to continue participating in Cyprus reunification talks within the framework of proposals presented by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the CransMontana peace conference in July.

Speaking after meeting Guterres yesterday at UN Headquarters in New York, Kotzias said it is necessary to maintain “the only document of the UN submitted during the negotiations on the last evening, regarding the framework in which the decisions would be implemented, with which one could abolish the treaty of guarantees and intervention rights etc.” He added that the text, which was “unfortunately also sabotaged by the British in some way” is a “good foundation to continue our talks.” In what was seen as a swipe at former UN special envoy to the island Espen Barth Eide, Kotzias reportedly hinted that the Norwegian diplomat appeared somewhat biased in favor of the Turkish side. There must be rules, he said, in the selection of Eide’s successor. According to reports, Kotzias said that the new envoy should not be able to visit the Turkish Embassy in Athens or the Greek one in Turkey as Eide did. With regard to the name dispute between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Kotzias said Athens is willing to find a solution as long as Skopje gives up irredentism.