Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu stated that he believes the Greek Cypriot Leader Nikos Anastasiades is trying to unilaterally change the format of the Geneva conference and this cannot be accepted.
Ertuğruloğlu outlined that it was agreed that the Geneva summit will be held with the participation of the Turkish Cypriot side and Greek Cypriot side and the three guarantor countries Turkey, Greece and the UK.
Ertuğruloğlu also added that this initiative is not compatible with the envisaged Bürgenstock format and the UN Secretary General’s good will mission.
In his written statement, Minister Ertuğruloğlu indicated that Anastasiades claimed that the “Geneva summit will not be held as five party conference but as quartet meeting with the participation of the Cyprus Republic and the three guarantor countries.”
Ertuğruloğlu also stressed that Anastasiades claimed that he will go to Geneva as the President of the so-called “Cyprus Republic” and if a map is not submitted, the conference will not be held on 12 January.
Minister Ertuğruloğlu stated that Anastasiades’ statement aims to place obstacles in the way of achieving a result in the meetings. He also underlined that according to the agreement reached on 1 December between the two leaders, and according to the statement of the UN, it is clear who will participate in the summit. Ertuğruloğlu also expressed that UN should not stay silent in front of these initiatives which aim to sabotage the Geneva meetings.
Furthermore, Ertuğruloğlu added “We hope that the Greek Cypriot side gives up these preconditions as soon as possible and comes to the table with goodwill and a constructive spirit to concentrate on the result-oriented negotiations.”