Papadopoulos: confidence-building measures not a condition for enlarged meeting

Diko leader Nicholas Papadopoulos on Wednesday said that the implementation of confidence-building measures between Cyprus’ two sides is not a condition which must be fulfilled for an enlarged meeting on the Cyprus problem to be held, after the day’s National Council meeting.

“Our side’s position is that confidence-building measures are not a condition for an international conference to be held, and this was not the position expressed by the secretary-general himself during his visit to Cyprus,” he said.

“The reason we insist on an international conference is because the Cyprus issue does not only concern the two leaders and the two communities, but also concerns Turkey, security issues, what will happen to the occupying army, and the return of territory,” he added.

“Of course, the occupying power cannot be absent.”

He also said that Turkey was continuing to insist on changing the basis of the negotiations to that of a two-state solution, something which the Greek Cypriots could not accept “under any circumstances”.

Despite this, he said, “our side must continue to act constructively, submit suggestions and proposals which expose the other side”.

“Together with the support of the European Union, we must consider that the only path we have before us is for the pressure which can be exerted on Turkey due to relations between Europe and Turkey to lead to the desired goal, which is the resumption of negotiations,” he said.

Guterres said confidence-building measures are ‘essential’

Guterres had said during his visit to the island in July that he will only convene an enlarged meeting on the Cyprus problem “after adequate preparations on confidence building, methodology and substance”.

He also said that “it is essential to redouble efforts to define and implement confidence-building measures that can make a difference in the daily lives of all Cypriots”.

In August, UN envoy Maria Angela Holguin said that the implementation of confidence-building measures is an “indispensable condition” to be fulfilled ahead of an enlarged meeting, which will involve the island’s two sides, its three guarantor powers, Greece, Turkey, and the United Kingdom and the UN itself.