Nikos Stelgias
A few days ago, the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community made an important statement, involving the future of the Cyprus Problem. At a time when Greek-Turkish relations are highly tense, and just before the withdrawal of the Oruc Reis from the waters of the eastern Mediterranean, Mustafa Akinci announced that a new conference on the Cyprus Problem is imminent.
“After the elections on October 11, the [UN] Secretary General will issue a call to all parties involved in the Cyprus Problem,” Akinci told Turkish media. He added that: “After this call, an informal five-party conference will take place. This conference will be participated by the two communities and the guarantor powers – the UK, Greece, and Turkey.”
In the north, Akinci’s statements did not have a big impact. Critics of the Turkish Cypriot leadership concluded that it was a new attempt to impress Akinci’s electoral base.
Greek reports
In contrast to the prevailing opinion in the Turkish Cypriot community, which has in recent days focused its attention to the escalating health crisis there, information coming in from the Greek press show that the new statement by the T/C leadership may not be ‘premature’ or a ‘pre-election stunt’.
More specifically, new information point to Athens and Ankara approaching the prospect of a new conference on the Cyprus Problem positively, three years after the failure of Crans-Montana.
According to information being leaked to several Greek media, the recent period saw the Turkish Presidency discussing with the Greek leadership the prospect of an informal conference on the Cyprus Problem.
“Preparations for a five-party conference on the Cyprus Problem”, say relevant Greek reports, which have so far not been officially refuted or confirmed.
Refutations
What is being said in reports by a specific Greek news outlet has not found a response in Nicosia. Diplomatic sources in the Cypriot capital refuted that there is a Cypriot aspect to the exchanges between Greece and Turkey, with the mediation of Germany. Emphatically, the same sources claim that the prospect of a five-party conference on the Cyprus Problem has not come up in diplomatic contacts.
The energy aspect
According to Greek sources, in the framework of the first contacts between Athens and Ankara, with the mediation of Berlin, in the summer of 2020 another interesting idea came to forefront. “Formation of a mechanism for the distribution of energy wealth in Cyprus, in order to ensure the equal participation of the Turkish Cypriots without conditions”, leaks to the Greek press report.
The above position logically satisfies the Turkish side and the Turkish Cypriot leadership, which have long called for a solution to the "problem" of energy in the Cyprus Problem, even before the final solution.
In the past, representatives of the Turkish Cypriot leadership, such as Akinci, Kudret Ozersay and other Turkish Cypriot politicians, speaking to "K" had pointed out the importance of creating a bi-communal mechanism, which will take over the management of Cyprus’ energy program. In fact, the Turkish Cypriot side recently submitted a relevant proposal, which, however, did not find the Greek Cypriot side in agreement.
