Prodromou: Our proposals submitted in Crans Montana still on the table

The proposals of Greek Cypriot side which were put forward during the Crans Montana talks for the Cyprus problem, in the summer of 2017, are still on the table, they were never withdrawn, they were comprehensive proposals and on condition of a final agreement had the Guterres framework been clarified, Government Spokesman Prodromos Prodromou has said.

He also pointed out that during the meeting President Nicos Anastasiades will have with the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci on February 26, our side expects that a consultation will be achieved on the terms of reference in order for the negotiations to resume from where they left off.
 
Speaking to the press on Monday, the Spokesman said that for the Cyprus problem to be resolved, all the issues should be discussed and not by choice. He went on to say that the President first expressed his wish to meet with Akinci a year ago, when he was reelected to the Presidency of the Republic, however the Turkish Cypriot leader appeared to be unwilling to meet up with him. He said that their meeting set for the 26^th of February is an informal one and they will have the chance to to exchange views on the terms of reference for the resumption of the dialogue.
 
Prodromou said that on July 5^th, 2017, during the Crans Montana talks, the President submitted comprehensive proposals, on the condition of a final agreement and with a clarification of the Guterres Framework which would have been helpful. He also said that UNSG Envoy Jane Hall Lute is aware of this.

The Spokesman said that the Cyprus problem is an issue of invasion and occupation and there are UN Resolutions which describe the solution framework and also call for the withdrawal of the Turkish troops. He said that all six parameters of the Guterres framework are equally significant , adding that we cannot have a resumption of talks with reference to just some of these parameters by choice.
 
Replying to a comment that the President has withdrawn his proposals tabled in Crans Montana on July 5^th, the Spokesman said that the President never withdrew these proposals and said once again that these were submitted on the condition of a final agreement and this will always be the case. He went on to say that we did not achieve to have an agreement at Crans Montana because the Turkish FM had made a statement that the abolition of guarantees and the withdrawal of occupying forces `is a dream and we must wake up from this dream`.
 
Replying to another question that the Turkish Cypriot side has also submitted proposals in Crans Montana, Prodromou said that that we need proposals for all six parameters of the Framework and pointed out that if the Turkish side does not show will to discuss the issue of guarantees and of the Turkish forces on the island, then there is a problem in the negotiations. He said that there will be a solution if all issues are discussed and not some and by choice.
 
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations in the summer of 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.                       
                            
It has been announced that UN Secretary General’s Special Representative in Cyprus and Deputy Special Advisor on Cyprus, Elizabeth Spehar, will host an informal meeting of the leaders of the two communities on February 26, at the Chief of Mission’s residence.