Nicosia's silence on Turkish response to UN envoy

Nicosia has no information on whether the Turkish side has responded to the UN on the appointment of an envoy by the UN Secretary-General, Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis said on Tuesday, noting that during his meeting on Wednesday in Nicosia with UN Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, President Nikos Christodoulides, will discuss, apart from the issue of Pyla, the ongoing efforts to resume negotiations on the Cyprus problem from where they have been interrupted.

"We reiterate that we responded within 24 hours and we hope and call on the Turkish side to respond as soon as possible so that the appointment of an envoy by the UN Secretary General can be made possible," Letymbiotis said in response to a question during a regular briefing of journalists at the Presidential Palace.

Asked about the next steps in the event of a new stalemate in talks, Letymbiotis said we cannot negatively predetermine any new effort.

"Our goal is - and this is the stated goal and intention of the President of the Republic and the Republic of Cyprus - to resume negotiations from where they were interrupted," he said.

"Beyond that, according to the UN Security Council resolutions, the conditions that can lead to the resumption of negotiations are specific," the Government Spokesperson added.

He also stressed that "we are re-entering this process with sincere political will. We are at the negotiating table, as the President of the Republic has repeatedly stated, to achieve a peaceful, viable, permanent solution to the Cyprus problem, based on a bizonal, bicommunal federation".

Letymbiotis said that the President Christodoulides will hold a meeting with Jean-Pierre Lacroix tomorrow at 3 pm and noted that during the meeting, the President of the Republic and the UN Assistant Secretary-General will discuss the efforts being made to resume the Cyprus negotiations from where they have been interrupted, the Understanding reached on Pyla and the implementation of the provisions contained therein.

The Government Spokesperson added that, as part of his visit, Lacroix will visit the buffer zone in the Pyla area, where he will have the opportunity to see the ongoing progress of work in accordance with the provisions of the Understanding and will hold meetings with representatives of civil society and organisations.