CNA – Maria Koniotou – Nicosia
Government Spokesman Prodromos Prodromou has told CNA that the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee for Cyprus is obsolete and must be replaced, through negotiations, on the basis of the framework and the six parameters set out by the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, during the latest Conference on Cyprus, that was held in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, in 2017.
Invited to comment a statement issued by the Turkish Foreign Ministry, regarding the Joint Declaration issued by Cyprus, Greece and Egypt, after their Trilateral Summit in Crete, on October 10, Prodromou noted that one of the Secretary General’s parameters sets as a goal the establishment of a modern security system “which will respect the sovereignty of our country without anyone acting as its guardian, through a system of guarantees, or any other involvement in its domestic issues, and without military presence, with a view to avoid Cyprus’ control by third parties and a permanent threat against stability.”
He added that President of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades and the Greek Cypriot side are seeking and looking forward to negotiations on this basis, taking into consideration all well-meant interests of Turkish Cypriots.
Prodromou reiterated President Anastasiades’ clear position expressed at the conclusion of the Trilateral Summit, in Crete, that this cooperation is not against anyone, and noted that the Republic of Cyprus has been developing relations of cooperation with all neighbouring states, on the basis of mutual respect and the international legality.
He noted that UN resolutions and decisions which link the settlement of the Cyprus problem with the termination of the illegal presence of the Turkish army in Cyprus and of the occupation of big part of the Cyprus Republic territory by Turkey, are part of this international legality.
Moreover he said that these resolutions and decisions denounce the illegal secessionist act to which Turkey proceeded in 1983 – by unanimously declaring a Turkish Cypriot puppet regime in Cyprus` occupied areas – noting that Ankara insists since then to refer to Cyprus’ Turkish occupied areas as a separate state, which is not, as he stressed, recognized by any country in the world.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry said, among others, in its statement that it is dismayed by “unwarranted claims against Turkey in the Joint Declaration” published after the Trilateral Summit in Crete.
It also noted that the Turkish invasion of Cyprus was carried out “based on the rights stemming from 1960 Guarantee Agreement”, adding that “within this context, Turkey will resolutely continue to preserve its rights and interests emanating from the fact that Turkish Cypriots are co-owners of the island.”
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 latest round of negotiations, in July 2017, at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively. Greece, Turkey and the UK are guarantor powers, according to the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee.