President tells US official he is ready for Cyprus talks

President Nicos Anastasiades told Wess Mitchell, the Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, that he wants to immediately resume talks for a /Cyprus settlement.

CNA said there was a thorough discussion of the Cyprus problem during Friday’s meeting at the Presidential Palace, with the President highlighting the reasons why talks ended in a deadlock in Switzerland last year.

Anastasiades said he was waiting for a response from the Turkish Cypriots on trying to get stalled talks moving again.

On the energy issue, Mitchell was briefed about the intention of Nicosia to create a National Hydrocarbons Fund to benefit all Cypriots. The Greek Cypriot side also pointed out the length of time needed in order to develop natural resources, a position echoed recently by the US Ambassador to Cyprus.

The US side said that it will be present in the region, as Cyprus forms part of the energy equation and has a role to play. Mitchell had the opportunity to discuss these issues at length earlier on Friday, during a meeting with Energy Minister Yiorgos Lakkortypis.

Other items on the agenda of the meeting at the Presidential Palace focused on the UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), the Secretary-General’s intention to appoint an envoy, that met the objection of the Turkish side, as well as developments in Turkey, on which the American side expressed concerns.

Special Representative & Head of #UNFICYP, Ms. Elizabeth Spehar & Force Commander Maj.Gen. Mohammad Humayun Kabir with US Asst. Sec. of State 4 European & Eurasian Affairs Mr Wess Mitchell & @USEmbassyCyprus Ambassador Ms. Kathleen Doherty military escort #GreenLine #BufferZone pic.twitter.com/zv0OLe56zU

— UN Cyprus (@UN_CYPRUS) 16 March 2018