In the early hours of the morning, Cyprus and Greece time, on the 38th floor of the United Nations building in New York, an informal dinner hosted by UN Secretary General António Guterres brought together President Nicos Christodoulides of Cyprus and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar.
This event marked the first direct attempt to restart the stalled intra-Cypriot dialogue since the failed talks in Crans-Montana seven years ago. Despite efforts to revive negotiations, the meeting ended with minimal concrete outcomes and significant differences between the two sides.
The Informal Dinner: An Attempt to Restart Dialogue
The dinner, which took place late in the night, aimed to create a platform for open dialogue on the Cyprus issue. The sole item on the agenda was the resumption of peace talks. However, the two leaders "agreed to disagree," with President Christodoulides remarking afterward that he "did not hear anything new" and left "not any wiser."
Several outcomes emerged from the discussion, including an agreement to hold informal meetings with the guarantor powers—Greece, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. This could potentially take the form of a five-party meeting that would include foreign ministers from the three guarantor countries. Another point of consensus was the possibility of future discussions to open more border crossings between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities.
Tatar's Defiant Stance and Disagreements
Tatar, representing the Turkish Cypriot side, appeared rigid and provocative in both his pre-dinner statements and his approach during the meeting. He reiterated his long-standing position of sovereign equality for Turkish Cypriots, a point that remains a major sticking issue in negotiations. Tatar's inflexibility was highlighted when he dismissed several confidence-building measures (CBMs) proposed by the Greek Cypriot side, including a Truth Commission and a technical committee to address youth-related issues.
The discussions about CBMs centered mainly on the removal of roadblocks, with the Greek Cypriot side pushing for the dismantling of barriers at Pyroi or Kokkina, while the Turkish Cypriots demanded the opening of a crossing at Limnitis. However, no agreement was reached on these issues.
Nicosia’s Red Lines
Throughout the meeting, Christodoulides maintained Nicosia’s key positions, emphasizing the non-negotiability of certain principles: single sovereignty, single international personality, and single citizenship for Cyprus. He stressed the need to safeguard the Republic of Cyprus and its functionality as an EU member state. Moreover, Christodoulides reiterated his stance on security guarantees, rejecting any continued system of guarantees and advocating for the complete withdrawal of foreign troops from the island, with a sunset clause instead of a review clause.
Tatar also used the platform to express frustrations over what he sees as unequal treatment of the Turkish Cypriot side. He noted that while Greek Cypriot leaders are able to hold international meetings in places like London and Brussels, he faces diplomatic isolation. He cited Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s speech at the UN General Assembly, where Erdogan reiterated the Turkish position in favour of a two-state solution for Cyprus. Tatar again pushed for direct trade, flights, and other relations for the Turkish Cypriot community—requests that have long been unmet by the international community.
Guterres' Mediating Role and UN Envoy Issues
UN Secretary General Guterres, for his part, remained cautiously optimistic, despite acknowledging the significant gap between the positions of the two leaders. He remarked that, while one side insists on sovereign equality and the other on the UN resolutions, there may be room to find common ground over time. He reaffirmed the UN's commitment to facilitating further dialogue.
Tensions also arose concerning the role of Maria Angela Olegin, the UN Secretary General's special envoy for Cyprus. Tatar reportedly expressed dissatisfaction with her handling of Turkish Cypriot demands, particularly regarding direct trade, flights, and contacts. It is expected that Guterres may assign another official, possibly Assistant Secretary General Rosemary Di Carlo, to take over the mediation efforts for expanded talks.
While the dinner did not result in any major breakthroughs, the resumption of even informal talks was seen as a positive step forward after years of deadlock. Both sides agreed to continue discussions, and the prospect of engaging the guarantor powers in future meetings offers a glimmer of hope for renewed dialogue.
(Source: To Vima)