President Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar concluded a meeting today, with Tatar announcing plans for another meeting between the two leaders before Easter.
Both sides described the discussions as productive, focusing on confidence-building measures (CBMs), particularly the opening of crossing points.
President Christodoulides stated that a further positive step had been taken. “We have undertaken certain commitments to the UN Secretary-General, which is why I requested the meeting take place immediately,” he said, referring to an expected announcement from the United Nations. He added that progress had been made on four out of six issues discussed.
A joint statement released by the UN confirmed that the meeting was held at the leaders’ own initiative as a continuation of discussions that began in Geneva during an informal broader meeting under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General.
The two leaders agreed to establish a Technical Committee on Youth, with each side to submit a list of 12 members under the age of 35 by 15 April, aiming for gender balance. They also agreed that the issue of demining would be examined at the level of the Greek Cypriot Negotiator and the Turkish Cypriot Special Representative, with an exchange of information on a proportional number of suspected hazardous areas from each side.
Furthermore, the Technical Committee on the Environment will work on initiatives related to the environment and climate change, including the impact on mining areas. The Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage will undertake the restoration of cemeteries.
Regarding crossing points and solar energy in the buffer zone, the joint statement noted a constructive exchange of views, with the leaders tasking their representatives to continue discussions to find a mutually acceptable solution. “The two leaders agreed to meet again soon,” the statement concluded.
Upon arrival at the Presidential Palace, President Christodoulides noted a better atmosphere compared to their previous meeting and mentioned using maps during the discussions on crossing points to illustrate the specific implications of opening crossings in various areas, highlighting the importance of opening the Pyroi-Athienou and Kokkina crossings while acknowledging Tatar’s interest in the Mia Milia crossing. Negotiators will now continue discussions on the crossing points.
On the issue of energy, where no progress was reported, President Christodoulides explained that there were “demands that cannot be accepted by our side,” adding that these demands exceeded the framework set by the EU for financial support of the project. He also raised the need to implement previously agreed measures in Pyla and conveyed requests from the Maronite community, which the Turkish Cypriot side agreed to consider.
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