UN envoy Maria Angela Holguin is seeking a package deal on two confidence-building measures, the opening of four crossing points and demining. An agreement would pave the way for a new three-way meeting on the Cyprus problem with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, though not necessarily for a multilateral conference.
The Greek Cypriot side has already responded positively, as the proposals are among those submitted by President Nikos Christodoulides. A Turkish response may come as early as Friday, when Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is due to discuss the issues with Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman.
According to Turkish diplomatic sources cited by the Turkish news agency ANKA, the two sides are close to agreement on opening new crossing points, but appear to differ on demining, mainly over how large an area the clearance should cover.
Fidan will also meet Unal Ustel, the so-called “prime minister” of the occupied north, and Tahsin Ertugruloglu, its so-called “foreign minister”.
Crossing points and demining
The four crossing points in the package are Mia Milia, Athienou-Pyroi-Aglantzia, Louroujina-Lympia and Kampos-Karavostasi. The routes are designed to meet the different needs of the two communities.
Christodoulides added Kampos-Karavostasi as an alternative to a crossing at Kokkina, which the Turkish side will not discuss because the area has been declared a military zone.
The package provides for clearing 70,000 square metres of minefields. According to the same Turkish sources, the Greek Cypriot side agrees with the proposal, while the Turkish Cypriot side considers limiting clearance to designated areas inadequate and is calling for complete demining.
Two-stage process
The Turkish sources also indicate that meetings with the Secretary-General would take place in two stages. If the package of measures is agreed, the two leaders could meet under Guterres’s auspices in a 2+1 format.
If that meeting makes progress, Guterres could then invite the foreign ministers of the three guarantor powers, Greece, Turkey and Britain, to a multilateral meeting in a 5+1 format. The sources do not say what would count as progress. Methodology is expected to be among the issues discussed at the three-way meeting with Guterres.
Monday meeting
Christodoulides said he spoke to Holguin by phone on Thursday morning and that the process appears, on the information so far, to point to positive developments, with specific announcements possible over the weekend. Asked about crossing points, he said the effort launched after Guterres’s visit to Cyprus covered methodology, substance and confidence-building measures, and that the discussion was broader. He said he believed his proposals could lead to a resumption of talks if there is political will.
