South Cyprus government has no comment regarding information about a proposal submitted on Saturday by the Turkish Cypriot President Mustafa Akinci, concerning the establishment of a joint committee for hydrocarbons, a government source told CNA.
The government source was asked to comment on relevant announcements made earlier on Saturday by the Turkish Foreign Ministry and North Cyprus Government.
The same source said that the handling of natural gas is not related to settlement talks, and added that the Greek Cypriot side stays focused on the resumption of peace talks.
The Greek Cypriot side adheres to the latest understanding reached between the President of South Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades and the UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser, Jane Holl Lute, regarding the UN official’s visit to Cyprus in about three weeks, in order to continue consultations for the resumption peace talks, the government source added.
Last Wednesday Lute had a telephone conversation with President Anastasiades and, as the President wrote in his twitter account, he reiterated his readiness for the resumption of negotiations. At the same time, they agreed that the UN official would visit Cyprus in about three weeks, the President added in his tweet.
President Anastasiades also conveyed the willingness of the Greek Cypriot side for Lute’s visit to Cyprus to take place, during his last telephone conversation with the UN official on Friday evening. As Prodromos Prodromou wrote yesterday on twitter, President Anastasiades reiterated his willingness to resume negotiations and told Lute that he is ready to welcome her in Nicosia to conduct the relevant consultations.
As CNA learns, the Presidential Palace received up until now no proposal on behalf of President Akinci through the UN.
