Anastasiades calls on UN Secretary-General to carry out shuttle diplomacy to resurrect talks

Greek Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades has suggested to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that he uses his good office to carry out a shuttle diplomacy between the two sides of the divided Mediterranean island in an attempt to test the waters for a possible resumption of the Cyprus talks.

Anastasiades told EU ambassadors during a lunch hosted by the ambassador of Estonia whose country is taking over the EU presidency, of the suggestion he made to the UNSG when they met in September. 

The Greek Cypriot side was determined to restart the talks from where they ended in Switzerland last summer, he said.

The end of the conference is not the end of the process for us.

The last round of negotiations at Crans-Montana, Switzerland, in July ended in deadlock over the issue of security and guarantees. Since then, both sides have pointed the finger of blame at each other for the impasse.

According to Anastasiades, thorough preparation would be needed ahead of reconvening the conference on Cyprus.

Both sides should submit their proposals in writing, including any reservations, to ensure that the talks end in success, he said.

The suggestion I made to the UNSG is engaging in shuttle diplomacy, either by the UN or through prominent personalities, or even third countries that are acceptable to all sides as impartial, such as the members of the Security Council, the president said.

Such a process would allow the UNSG to gauge the sides’ intentions and decide whether the necessary conditions existed to reconvene the conference on Cyprus, he said.
Cyprus Mail