The President of the
Republic, Mr Nicos Anastasiades, presided today over a Council of the Political
Party leaders, at the Presidential Palace, with the participation of the Greek
Cypriot interlocutor for the Cyprus problem, Mr Andreas Mavroyiannis, and his
legal support team.
After the Council’s
meeting, the Government Spokesman, Mr Christos Stylianides, told reporters that
the President listened to all views presented and that he would have a
telephone communication with the UN Secretary-General at 3 p.m. today, and “the
President will determine the next steps of the Greek Cypriot side.”
Asked on whose
initiative the telephone conversation will take place, the Spokesman said
“ours.”
Invited to comment on a
statement by the UN Secretary-General’s Spokesman on the issue of the joint
declaration between the two communities, Mr Stylianides said that “there is an
important consultation going on. We should wait for the final results. When it
comes to the Cyprus problem one can be very near and very far at the same
time.”
Asked what issues will
be discussed during the President’s conversation with the UN Secretary-General,
the Spokesman said that no one can predetermine the content of a conversation between
the President and the UN Secretary-General, adding that one of the issues to be
discussed will be that of the joint declaration but it is possible for other
issues to come up as well.
Replying to a question
on the current phase as regards the joint declaration, the Spokesman said: “We
always have a constructive stance, and it is an issue of how one interprets the
negotiation at any given moment. We insist that if the other side demonstrates
the necessary will, then we can be very close (to reaching an agreement). It is
up to the other side. We have shown our constructive stance and we will
continue to do so.”
Replying to another
question, the Spokesman said that our stance remains constructive and “we
insist that it is imperative to enter into a comprehensive negotiation on the
Cyprus problem at the earliest possible, and this will depend on the decisions
to be taken by everyone during this period.”
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