The aim of the Greek Cypriot side to restart the process leading to negotiations for a Cyprus settlement was met with the scheduling of a broader meeting in the presence of the three guarantor powers, government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said on Tuesday.
He was speaking after a meeting of the National Council, the third such meeting in the last month.
Letymbiotis also said the president would meet Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar in the coming days to discuss opening further crossing points.
The Turkish Cypriot side wants the opening of a crossing point at Mia Milia, while the Greek Cypriot side has said that either Pyroi-Athienou or Kokkina should open simultaneously with Mia Milia.
The president called the National Council meeting to inform its members about the meeting he had in New York on October 15 with Tatar and UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres.
He has said he hopes that the meeting between the leaders of the two sides and the UN chief, in the presence of guarantors Greece, Turkey and the UK, will take place before the end of the year.
The spokesman said Christodoulides had sent a letter to the UN chief after the meeting in New York last week thanking him for his initiative and expressed the Greek Cypriot side’s readiness to engage in talks from where they left off in 2017 in Crans Montana.
Disy president Annita Demetriou expressed her party’s support to every initiative Christodoulides takes for the resumption of negotiations within the agreed framework.
Meanwhile, Akel secretary general Stefanos Stefanou said it was important to remain clearly in favour of resuming negotiations from where they broke off in 2017 and that there was much to be done by the Greek Cypriot side.
Diko president Nikolas Papadopoulos said the Greek Cypriot side should focus on proper preparation in view of the meeting, so that it is successful, adding that the EU should be brought in too.
Elam president Christos Christou said it seems only the Greek Cypriot side went with proposals on how to break the deadlock, while the Turkish side insisted on its irrational demands.
Edek president Marinos Sizopoulos said the Cyprus problem should be returned to its original basis and discussed as a matter of Turkish invasion, occupation and settlers.
Dipa president Marios Karoyian said one could be neither sure things were moving in the right direction nor be pessimistic on the other hand.
Vice president of the Cyprus Greens Kyriakos Tsimillis said the Greek Cypriot side should be particularly alert to prevent any negative consequences that will be irreversible.
