President Nikos Christodoulides said on Sunday he will have a meeting with the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Cyprus, María Angela Holguín Cuellar, next Saturday, May 25, reiterating the readiness of the Greek Cypriot side to continue efforts to restart negotiations.

In statements made on the sidelines of the symbolic 2 km “Blue Route” walk, organised in Nicosia by Europa Uomo Cyprus and the Bank of Cyprus Oncology Center, and asked when the next meeting with Holguin will take place and whether there would be a new meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar before her arrival in Cyprus, he said that he will have a private meeting with Holguin next Saturday, adding that there is currently no meeting scheduled with Tatar.

“The negotiators met the day before yesterday, and if the need arises, it will happen. What I can say in terms of procedure is that I think it would be good during Holguin’s visit to Cyprus for the three of us to meet so that she can inform us of how she intends to proceed and we can express our views,” he said.

“In terms of substance, we are approaching the end of July, and there is a new dynamic that I believe clarifies the whole picture with the European Commission’s decision to appoint Hahn. With Holguin’s visit and Hahn’s appointment, a new dynamic is being created. The day before yesterday in Albania, during his introductory speech, Erdogan made specific public reference in the plenary session to Turkey’s European perspective, in particular on the issue of the Customs Union, Turkey’s desire to come closer to Europe, whether on defense issues or other areas. I believe that, taking this into account, if Turkey really does have this desire, we are ready to respond, provided that Turkey responds first, which is the basic prerequisite, to its obligations towards Cyprus, but also to its Cyprus-related and other European obligations. Therefore, a framework is being built, or if you will, it has been shaped. We are fully prepared on our part, we know what we want, we know where we want to go, and we are continuing this great effort,” he noted.

Asked whether anything positive or new had emerged during the negotiators’ meetings, President Christodoulides said that “small steps are being taken, very small steps,” adding that for this reason, during his last meeting with Tatar, he publicly expressed his disappointment.

“We are at a stage where political decisions must be taken. Political decisions cannot be taken at the level of negotiators, and for this reason I am hopeful that when Holguin arrives, the three of us will sit down together. It is time for political decisions,” he noted.

Asked when Johannes Hahn’s mission is expected to begin, the President of the Republic said that Hahn has been officially appointed and will begin his mission immediately, adding that he had spoken with him.

“We exchanged some views following our last meeting on the sidelines of the European People’s Party Conference in Valencia, and we are waiting for him to officially inform us of the dates of his visits,” he added.

Asked whether Hahn will also visit the Turkish-occupied areas when he comes to Cyprus, President Christodoulides replied in the affirmative. “It is the appointment of the President of the European Commission on the Cyprus issue, of course, this must also happen,” he added.

Asked about his exchange with the Turkish President in Albania and whether there was anything that could send an optimistic message, the President of the Republic said that “many words are spoken, if there is an optimistic message, which is what we are working towards– an optimistic development, better still – it will become apparent in the immediate future. We are certainly working in this direction, but you understand that a dialogue, a discussion, cannot produce a positive result beyond Erdogan’s statement that they are ready to discuss.”