Nicosia rejects ‘unacceptable’ UN idea for term ‘self-governed regions’

Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiadis has rejected the possible use of the term “self-governed regions” in an upcoming UN report on the progress of Cyprus reunification talks.

Any such reference in UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ report on his mission of good offices in Cyprus, which is expected to be presented to the UN Security Council in the coming days, would be considered “unfortunate and unacceptable,” Anastasiadis said in comments to the press on Monday night.

According to a report in Cypriot daily Phileleftheros, UN Special Envoy Jane Hall Lutte first floated the idea to Anastasiadis during a visit to the divided island last week following talks with Turkish-Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, who insists on a two-state solution.

She reportedly told the Cypriot president that using such wording could break the current impasse and serve as a way forward for talks to continue.

Nicosia responded that any such reference would only encourage the leadership in the occupied north to insist on its position and continue rejecting proposals for a bizonal, bicommunal federation, Phileleftheros said.

“The information that is going around has been forwarded both to Ms Lutte and to the secretary-general, and I would like to believe that any such reference would be unfortunate but mainly unacceptable,” Anastasiadis said on Monday.