The UN Deputy Secretary-General, Rosemary DiCarlo, has visited the region, holding meetings across Nicosia, Athens and Ankara.
What emerges from these discussions is that Secretary-General António Guterres will convene an informal five-party conference on the Cyprus issue in March. This meeting has been discussed for some time and represents the only tangible outcome thus far.
Beyond the fact that an expanded meeting will take place—which is a step forward and shows willingness for movement—there are no indications of any change in the Turkish side’s position.
Ms DiCarlo heard the same narrative with identical arguments in both the occupied territories and in Ankara: the Turkish “vision” for two separate states in Cyprus.
This represents the implementation of a longstanding strategy to legitimise the results of the invasion and ongoing occupation.
With these positions, the informal five-party conference expected to take place in Geneva will clearly yield no results. Even those who believe the occupying side might make a move and shift from its established, maximalist positions consider this unlikely.
And even if it did happen, the occupying side is not expected to make the kind of moves that would alter its philosophy of a divisive, partitionist agreement for Cyprus.
What is the objective? The objective is to maintain momentum that will pave the way for discussions and negotiations—negotiations based on United Nations resolutions and decisions. No change regarding these resolutions.
We remain in a waiting position, primarily concerning what will be discussed at the informal five-party conference. This is an issue that the International Organisation must determine.
To be precise, the agenda should be considered established. The agenda exists, and as mentioned above, it consists of United Nations resolutions.
It is, therefore, the responsibility of the United Nations to announce the agenda—the known agenda. This will eliminate any possibility of raising issues unrelated to the resolutions and international law.
And this must be done before the start of this informal Geneva meeting.
