CYPRUS: Nicosia ready for international conference to kick-start peace push

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades is ready to meet Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci at an informal conference involving the UN, EU, UK, Greece and Turkey to reignite peace talks.

 Anastasiades supports the idea of an informal conference with the same format as the UN-backed Swiss summit of Crans-Montana two years ago. This involved Turkey for the first time and the other two guarantor powers UK and Greece plus the EU.

Government spokesman Prodromos Prodromou said the Turkish Cypriot proposal is essentially adopting one of the President’s proposals that was submitted in writing to UN chief Antonio Guterres in a letter dated 14 June. 

“The President is ready to meet with the Turkish Cypriot leader…to discuss the details and the time of an informal, procedural conference, in the same format of the Crans-Montana conference, hoping that such an informal conference, properly prepared, will lead to the resumption of substantial talks,” Prodromou said.

He said that Turkey must actively contribute to creating a proper climate by terminating its illegal actions in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone and its plans concerning the fenced off area of Varosha.