UNSG: Talks will wait until after presidential elections

INTERNATIONAL efforts to reach a solution in Cyprus will wait until after next month’s presidential elections in the TRNC, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday.

Mr Guterres made the comments at a press conference for the opening of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Asked by a reporter to “elaborate” on remarks made by Mr Guterres in his most recent report on Cyprus that a “conducive environment” is needed to resume negotiations, the UN chief replied: “There was a consensus that we should wait for the elections in northern Cyprus before moving on with the diplomatic initiatives that we have envisaged.

“As soon as they take place, it’s my intention to convene again the five key partners – the guarantors [Turkey, Greece and the UK] and the two communities – and to also restart a dialogue with the leaders of the two communities in the follow-up of the dinner that I had with them in Berlin a few months ago.”

Talks on the Cyprus issue have been on hold this year due to the presidential elections in North Cyprus, which had been due to take place in April, and because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mr Guterres added: “It is my deep belief that, in between, it’s very important to develop confidence-building measures and to avoid any unilateral actions that could undermine the future success of these negotiations, and I’m totally committed as soon as the opportunity is created – and, as I said, there is a consensus to wait for the elections in the north [of] Cyprus – I’m totally committed to revitalise the political process.”