Following the last meeting held between the two Leaders in Cyprus on 17 May 2017 within the framework of the ongoing comprehensive settlement negotiations, SASG Mr. Eide conducted shuttle diplomacy between the Leaders with the aim of reaching an agreement on reconvening the Conference on Cyprus. Within this framework Mr. Eide met each Leader twice in the previous days.

SASG Mr. Eide stated today that these meetings were unable to produce any results.

Turkey shares the views expressed on this issue by TRNC President Mr. Akıncı in his statements of 23 and 26 May 2017. Our view is that the preconditions put forth by Greek Cypriot Leader Mr. Anastasiades for reconvening the Conference on Cyprus are contrary to the principles in the Leaders’ Joint Declaration of 11 February 2014 that all issues “will be discussed interdependently” and that “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed”. They are likewise not in keeping with the Statement from the Conference on Cyprus dated 12 January 2017.

It will be recalled that one of the taskings from the Statement from the Conference on Cyprus was for a Working Group to convene in order to identify questions regarding the Security and Guarantees chapter as well as the instruments needed to address them. This tasking was fulfilled on 18-19 January in Mont Pèlerin. The second tasking which resulted from the Conference was for the continuation of negotiations on outstanding issues in the other chapters between the two sides on the Island.

Turkey expects the Conference on Cyprus to be able to reconvene without any preconditions, in keeping with the understanding in the Leaders’ Joint Declaration of 11 February 2014 and in accordance with the methodology which was foreseen but not implemented for the first Conference, namely with all chapters being addressed together, as also expressed by President Akıncı in his statements.