National Council meeting shelved for ‘when time is right’
The government on Tuesday rebuffed renewed calls to convene a National Council meeting amid growing irritation over the secrecy surrounding the UNSG proposals that President Nikos Christodoulides has agreed to.
During a press briefing at the presidential palace, government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis fielded a host of Cyprob-related questions but kept the specifics vague.
Asked to elaborate on whether Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar rejected the UNSG’s ideas, Letymbiotis said he could not speak for Tatar.
“What I will repeat to you once again is that we are positive to the Secretary-General’s proposals, we remain positive, and we will continue to work very intensively with the UN and with the UN Secretary-General’s personal envoy.”
The spokesman also remained tight-lipped over the contents of the UNSG’s proposal. Responding to a question on whether it concerns the substance or the process, Letymbiotis replied with a riddle, saying “sometimes process is linked to substance and substance is linked to process.
“At this point we believe that it is not beneficial to continue this public debate.”
Last week, both Disy and Akel called on Christodoulides to convene a National Council meeting, with Akel reiterating the call on Tuesday.
Letymbiotis said the National Council has been convened five times so far, and the President would call for one “when the facts differ from the last National Council meeting.”
He added that Tatar’s meeting with the UN Secretary General took place last Friday, and confirmed that Christodoulides was informed about the contents of the discussion.
Nonetheless, this is not something he considers should be made public, he said. “We continue to remain committed to the substance.”
Asked if the UNSG’s personal envoy to Cyprus Maria Angela Holguin has only been appointed for six months, he replied that “it is not included in the terms of reference.
“Holguin is the UN Secretary General’s personal envoy for as long as he deems she can be. We hope that the six-month period will not have to be exhausted, in the sense that sooner than six months these conditions will be in place and negotiations can resume,” Letymbiotis underlined.