Greek Cypriot daily Phileleftheros and other newspapers reported Christodoulides’ responses to journalists’ questions after an event yesterday.
According to the report, when asked about President Tatar’s meeting with the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Representative Maria Angela Holguin Cuellar in London, and whether it would take place at the TRNC representative office, Christodoulides said he knew the meeting would take place in London on July 1st but did not know the exact location.
Christodoulides was also asked about President Tatar’s repeated proposal to the Greek Cypriot side and Secretary-General Guterres to open a border crossing point for commercial vehicles in Haspolat to reduce congestion at the Metehan border checkpoint within the framework of the Green Line Regulation, which had received no response.
Christodoulides said he had also long submitted written proposals through both the UN and Holguin regarding the “borders,” but Tatar had not responded positively. “If he really wanted to open that border, I can tell you it could have been opened last month. We also have proposals. We present them in writing, not through the media“, he said.
Christodoulides mentioned that both UN Secretary-General Guterres and his Personal Representative Holguin were committed to starting substantive negotiations, and he was allied with them in this effort.
Recalling that after his meeting with Holguin, he stated they had a very concrete discussion on various aspects of the Cyprus problem, Christodoulides said he would convene the National Council next Friday to discuss and decide how to proceed.
When asked about his statement that he discussed both procedural and substantive issues with Holguin, Christodoulides replied, “When it comes to the Cyprus issue, procedure and substance carry the same importance“.
The same newspaper reported that Athienou (Kiracıköy) residents sent a letter to President Christodoulides, requesting that he not accept the opening of any other crossing unless it includes the opening of the Pyroi (Gaziler) crossing.
According to the newspaper, the so-called headman of Athienou Kyriakos Kareklas sent the relevant letter to Christodoulides following reports in the Turkish Cypriot media that President Tatar would propose the opening of a border gate in Haspolat during his meeting with Holguin.
The statement from Kareklas indicated that the Kiracıköy residents asked Christodoulides not to accept the opening of any other gate unless it included Gaziler, and they expected him to convey this stance to Holguin.
