The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, saw a good opportunity in Crane Montana to find an agreement that would remove the guarantees from the first day of the solution of the Cyprus problem.
However, as he pointed out to the then Greek Foreign Minister, the situation was more difficult than the complete withdrawal of troops. No matter was closed, he informed Nikos Kotzias.
The above was discussed during a meeting between Mr. Guterres and the Greek Foreign Minister, held on July 6, 2017, at 5 p.m. The meeting took place before the dinner, during which the Secretary General’s effort collapsed.
Meanwhile, on the same day, the UN Secretary-General had met for the second time with Mr. Çavuşoğlu, who made it clear that it was not Turkey’s intention to withdraw the Turkish troops from the island.
According to the recorder, who records the Secretary-General’s reports:
“Admittedly,” Antonio Guterres quotes Him as saying, “Turkey was not ready to accept immediately that all troops should leave. However, they had not closed the door to this possibility”, noted the UNSG General.
Mr. Guterres mentioned to Anastasiades at their meeting at 6:15 p.m., on the same day. That is, that Turkey was prepared to accept the abolition of guarantees and interventionist rights. In essence, he is telling Mr Kotzias, not directly, that there will be a problem with the stay of the troops. “It would therefore be good to reach a package agreement with essentially one or two issues remaining open,” Mr Guterres said.
It is of particular importance, however, that Mr. Kotzias announces to the General Assembly that he realized that the Greek Cypriots consented to all issues except those of equal treatment. The minutes of the meeting are interesting because it took place after the two meetings of the G.G. with Çavuşoğlu and Guterres now had a clear picture of the final positions and the red lines of Turkey.
The Secretary-General admits that there is a lot of distance on the other issues as well, despite the written – concessions of Anastasiades on the four issues of table 2 and covertly and very carefully essentially wants more concessions from the Greek Cypriot side. He specifically stresses that Turkish Cypriots would not accept a joint list for the rotating presidency, or that Turkish Cypriots on the territory will not ultimately give what Greek Cypriots expect.
‘Only if the Treaty of Guarantee were abolished…’
Greece’s position is clear, through the Minister of Foreign Affairs, who clarified the landscape before the General Secretary.
Package agreement with open issues
We publish the text of the conversation below:
Minutes of the Meeting of the Secretary General with the S.A. Mrs. Nikos Kotzias.
Crane Montana, Switzerland , July 6, 2017, 5 pm
Present:
The Secretary General, Mr. Kotzias,
Mr. Ayden Head of Delegation
Ms. Spehar Mr. Paraskevopoulos
Mrs. Hitt Mrs. Athanasiou
K. Ricciardson Mr. Liakouras
Mrs. Warnn-Smith
K. Souster, minuteman
Main points raised:
Follow-up actions: None.
Summary of the Discussion:
1. The Secretary-General stated that he saw a good opportunity to find an agreement that would remove the guarantees from the first day of the solution. However, the situation was more difficult than the complete withdrawal of troops. No matter was closed. In his opinion, by achieving more flexibility there, it depended on what the Turkish Cypriots could secure in the intercommunal negotiations.
2. Mr. Kotzias stated that he understood that the Greek Cypriots consented to all issues except the issues of equal treatment.
3. The Secretary-General stated that there were still widely differing positions on most of the issues. His conclusion was that the Turkish Cypriots were ready to make further concessions in relation to the territorial, but not to the point expected of the Greek Cypriots. In relation to the rotating presidency, the joint list was not acceptable to the Turkish Cypriots. The asset was similarly difficult. Mr. Kotzias stated that Greece was not involved in any of these issues.
4. The Secretary-General stated that some clarity had been achieved on the issue of equal treatment. The outstanding question was whether there should be a quota for Turkish nationals seeking permanent residence. For the nationality the sides agreed on the ratio of 4:1. He felt that Greek Cypriots should be more generous when it came to permanent residents.
5. Mr. Kotzias stated that in the last 47 years more than 40,000 Greeks have moved to Cyprus, while more than 67,000 Greek Cypriots have moved to Greece.
6. The Secretary General stated that his strategy was to persuade Mr. Anastasiades to be more open to this issue. There was a need to mobilize at table 2 to get results on table 1. Admittedly, Turkey was not ready to accept immediately that all the troops should leave. However, they had not closed the door to this possibility. It would therefore be good to reach a package of agreement with essentially one or two issues remaining open. This could be decided by the Prime Minister at a meeting in New York next week.
7. Mr. Kotzias stated that if the Treaty of Guarantees were abolished, the Greek Prime Minister would be open to such a meeting.
8. The Secretary-General stated that in addition a system of supervision was needed. This would be under the responsibility of the United Nations and with the involvement of the three guarantor powers. He was not sure whether it was acceptable for Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots not to have a clear role even under the terms of the gentlemen’s agreement put forward by Mr Kotzias earlier.
9. Mr. Kotzias stated that there was a need for Turkey to express clearly that it would withdraw many of its troops. The issue was the number of troops that would be left behind. If they exceeded the numbers provided for in the Alliance Treaty, there would be a problem. Be that as it may, he would now inform the Greek Prime Minister.
10. The Secretary-General stated that any quid pro quo depended on Mr. Anastasiades. For Turkey to consider abandoning guarantees was a big step.
11. Mr. Kotzias stated that providing equal participation to 20% of the Cypriot population was already a big step on the Greek Cypriot side.
Mathias Sousster
OSASG
