Cyprus Talks: Greek Cyprus president, Nicos Anastasiades says he does not want to play blame game, ready to continue negotiations

Greek Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades on Wednesday said he did not want to play the blame game following the failed reunification talks with Turkish Cypriot leader, Mustafa Akinci in Mont Pelerin in Switzerland on Tuesday, but said he was ready to continue from where negotiations had broken down.

Speaking in a televised news conference, his first public appearance since returning from Mont Pelerin, Anastasiades said that although he did not want to play the blame game, some things could not go unanswered, especially given that the Turkish side had blamed the Greek Cypriots for the failure.

Anastasiades said the Turkish side had not shown flexibility on the issues during the talks but said he would simply state the facts of what had transpired in Switzerland, rather than engage in blame.

“I want to state that I am ready to continue from the point we stopped in Mont Pelerin,” Anastasiades said. “The aim is to solve the Cyprus problem, the struggle will continue. Non-solution is not a solution.”

Anastasiades said that there had been some positive developments at the talks but that key differences remained, adding that he himself had continued making counter proposals until the eleventh hour.

Highlighting the rundown of the Mont Pelerin talks, where he focused on the territory criteria, the number of refugees that were to return, the length of each constituent state’s coastline, and the reflection of all this on a map, Anastasiades said that they had agreed that the Turkish Cypriot state would be between 28.2 per cent – as per the Greek Cypriot side’s suggestion – and 29.2 per cent which was the Turkish Cypriot proposal.

As regards to the number of refugees that would return to the north, even though the United Nations had estimated that the numbers, be based on the expanse of the areas that would be returned, he said it could be between 78,247 people minimum, and 94,484 maximum, while the Turkish Cypriot side said they would not accept more than 65,000 people.

Anastasiades said it was apparent, that the Turkish Cypriot side wanted to link the territory issue with that of security and guarantees.

“As it was expected I rejected this proposal,” the president said.  

Anastasiades reiterated that the Greek Cypriot side would not agree to a multi-party conference unless territory criteria was applied on a map, as per the agreement of the two sides.

“The non-solution of the territory issue would lead to linking the issue with that of security and guarantees, which is the Turkish side’s aim,” Anastasiades said.

Anastasiades said if no agreement was reached on territory, the Greek Cypriot side would find itself in a multi-party conference where it would be pressured to agree to proposals of the Turkish side as regards guarantees in exchange for concessions on territorial adjustments.

Speaking on whether Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci had a negative stance or if he was acting on Ankara’s orders, Anastasiades said that Akinci was trying to defend the positions of his side “within the margins he had”.

According to Anastasiades, in order to achieve a solution that is acceptable to both communities it should meet the principles and values of international and European law and allow the establishment of a viable, functional and modern European state.

“Efforts are being made by all sides to continue the ongoing dialogue that will lead to a multilateral conference,” said Anastasiades.

Source: Cyprus Mail