You are here

President waiting Lute’s return

14/01/2019 13:21

President of the Republic Nicos Anastasiades will wait for Jane Holl Lute’s return to Cyprus to see how to handle Turkey’s request to halt all efforts to resume the dialogue on Cyprus issue due to local elections in the country.

Invited by journalists on Monday to comment on reports that Ankara has asked the UN envoy for Cyprus, Lute, to stop all efforts to find a way out of the current stalemate in the talks until after the local elections in Turkey, Anastasiades replied “this is a proof to all those who criticised me that I did not everything possible to resume the dialogue”.

Anastasiades said, the Greek Cypriot side did everything possible. “We have made our intentions clear, have handed all documents we were asked for, etc, therefore what we are waiting for now is Ms. Lute’s return to see how we handle the issue”.

He also replied in the affirmative when asked if he is satisfied from the latest report of the UNSG to renew UNFICYP’s mandate.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The last round of negotiations, in July 2017, collapsed at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana.