Greek Foreign Minister Answers Accusations of Cyprus Talks Disruption

Politico reports that Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias will be kept out of the negotiations regarding the reunification of Cyprus, following the lack of solutions after the talks held on January 14. For the past twenty months, the United Nations, along with Greek and Turkish leaders, have made attempts to reach an agreement about the future of the island. According to Politico, Kotzias “went rogue", which led to the disruption of these attempted peace talks held in Geneva. Politico accuses Kotzias of asking for the complete withdrawal of Turkish occupying forces from the island, a demand that caught the Turkish and Turkish-Cypriots by surprise. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan replied by telling Reuters that “we have told Cyprus and Greece clearly that they should not expect a solution without Turkey as a guarantor. We are going to be there forever.”

The main point of disagreement is related to the system created after 1960, in which Greece, the United Kingdom, and Turkey are supposed to protect Cyprus’s independence from the UK. Kotzias wants Cyprus to be free of this so-called protection, emphasizing the need for complete independence from foreign forces. Turkish Cypriots, however, opposed Kotzias’ proposals, since Turkey is the only country that has recognized Cyprus’s government as a secure guarantee of their rights. They are afraid that the Greek-Cypriot majority could compromise their entitlements if Kotzias’ proposal is accepted.

Eleftheros Typos reports that in response to Politico’s criticisms, Kotzias stated that the Turks are responsible for the failure of the negotiations. He added, “It is evident that those who transmit the voice of their master would consider the talks successful only if we had surrendered and legitimized their illegal occupation of part of Cyprus.” Moreover, he stressed the need for the implementation of international law to guarantee the rights and security of both Greek-Cypriots and Turkish-Cypriots. It remains to be seen whether a solution to Cyprus’s division will be found in the months to come.