Russia wants a solution to the Cyprus problem and hopes one would be achieved at the conference in Geneva, Russian Ambassador in Nicosia Stanislav Osadchiy has stressed.
He said that Russia would attend the conference if invited adding that the Turkish Cypriot side thinks that the Security Council is represented by Mr Eide and Ms Spehar therefore there is no need for an additional presence of the members of the Security Council at the conference.
In his statements on the sidelines of a New Year`s event organized by AKEL`s Youth section, EDON, Osadchiy said that the composition of the Conference has not yet been decided, adding that the two sides get to decide who participates in the conference while the UN Secretary-General sends the invitations to the participants.
Asked about the role of the Security Council during the negotiations and in the context of the implementation of a possible solution, the Russian ambassador said that Russia supports the positions expressed by the President of the Republic Nicos Anastasiades on the role of the Security Council regarding the implementation of a solution being sought.
“We first of all support the solution, we expect difficult days ahead, but Russia sincerely wants a solution to the Cyprus problem and we hope that one will be achieved in Geneva,” he said.
Asked whether the Turkish Cypriot side wants Russia to be present at the conference, the Russian Ambassador said that the Turkish Cypriot side has not yet said anything specific and that it is still thinking about it.
The Turkish Cypriot side just thinks that the representation of the Security Council is made through the Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on Cyprus Espen Barth Eide and Special Representative of UN Secretary General in Cyprus Elizabeth Spehar and thus it does not consider it appropriate to have an additional presence of members of Security Council in Geneva, he said.
Asked how the political landscape is being shaped with regard to the redefinition of US -Russian relations, the Russian ambassador said that the relations of thw two countries are at a critical stage.
“We do not understand what Obama wants at this time”, he said adding that “we think that he just wants to make President Trump`s position difficult”. We have to wait only three more weeks and then we could tell where does the relationship between the two countries stand.
Russian Ambassador wished the best to all Cypriots on the occasion of New Year.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied its northern third.
President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci have been engaged in UN-backed talks since May 2015 with a view to reunite the island under a federal roof.
Anastasiades and Akinci decided on December 1 to meet in Geneva on January 9, 10 and 11, 2017. On the 12th of January the Conference of Cyprus will begin in Geneva.
