Cyprus Talks: Greek Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades rejects UN common document, UN withdraw document

Greek Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades on Monday slammed the common document prepared by UN Special Envoy to Cyprus Espen Barth Eide claiming that the contents did not reflect what was agreed with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York on June 4.

Anastasiades said he would not accept any documents that are not based on the agreements made between himself, Guterres and North Cyprus leader, Mustafa Akinci which he said disregards "issues of essential importance" for the Greek Cypriot side.

The document, referred to as ‘the common document’ was designed to act as a guide to the talks on security and guarantees at the Cyprus Conference in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, beginning on Wednesday June 28.

According to the relevant consultation with the UN Secretary-General, the draft document presented should have reflected the positions of all the parties and not disregard issues of substantial significance to the Greek Cypriot community, Anastasiades said in a written statement.

For this reason, because of the fact that the draft document prepared by Espen Barth Eide does not correspond to what was agreed on the 4th June in New York, I do not consider it binding and any reference to this document is therefore unacceptable.

Meanwhile Anastasiades in a later statement said he was going to Crans-Montana “with full determination and goodwill, ignoring any negative statements by Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side to achieve the long-sought solution to the Cyprus problem.

On Tuesday, the UN adviser Espen Barth Eide said the proposed ‘common document’ will no longer be presented at the Cyprus Conference in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, after it was rejected by more than one party.

Speaking at a news conference in Geneva before flying to Crans-Montana ahead of resumption of the international summit, Eide said the sides do not consider it a common document, and thus it has no status.

Incidentally, let me make absolutely clear that despite claims to the contrary, the UN has made no proposals in the draft document, and any otherwise claims are false, Eide said.

Because we agreed with the sides that we wouldn’t do that, he added.

Representatives from Cyprus’ guarantor powers including Greece, Turkey and the UK will take part in this week’s UN-brokered international conference in Switzerland, along with that of the European Union as an observer.

Meanwhile Turkey has insisted that it will continue maintaining a right of intervention in a reunited Cyprus – something unacceptable to the Greek Cypriots.