Cyprus Talks: Leaders meet for dinner to discuss ways ahead

Leaders of the divided Cyprus communities, Nicos Anastasiades of Greek Cypriot and Mustafa Akinci, of Turkish Cypriot held an open exchange of views at a dinner meeting on Monday, for the first time since talks collapsed in Switzerland last July.

The aim of the meeting – hosted by UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative in Cyprus, Elizabeth Spehar at the chief of mission’s residence in the buffer zone – was to try and kick-start the resumption of Cyprus talks.

Following the dinner, Spehar in a brief written statement said that the two leaders “had a frank and open exchange of views during a two hour tête-à-tête discussion”.

They then proceeded to a dinner with Spehar, the statement concluded. The dinner ended at around 10.30 pm.

Anastasiades on his return from the diner said that no side would object to the possibility of the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointing a special envoy to look into the possibilities of a new dialogue, and this would determine if a new preparatory period could be launched.

Anastasiades said, they had an honest discussion “on the problems faced, the prospect of a new dialogue, we registered the disagreements”.

He said he reiterated his readiness to resume the dialogue from where it ended last July at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana.

Akinci on his part raised the issue of a joint committee to deal with the management and exploitation of natural resources. Anastasiades said he responded that there was no question of it being discussed at the negotiation table “either the postponement of the energy programme or that of the joint committee”.

Anastasiades said that there was discussion on whether one or the other side insists on some positions, but that there was no detailed dialogue or negotiation.

Asked if there was common ground at the meeting, he said “only if you consider common ground to be the realisation that both sides stuck to their positions”.

As the two leaders made their way to the residence at around 7pm, groups and organisations from both sides of the divide gathered outside the entrances to the Nicosia airport in the north and south.  

Their aim, they said, was to “mobilise and impress” on the two leaders the need for an immediate breakthrough and resumption of the talks based on the framework of UNSG Antonio Guterres without any preconditions.

Akinci did not immediately make any comments after the dinner but reiterated on Sunday that if there was political will, “there can be a way out of the current deadlock”.

Cyprus Mail