UK FM: Compromise needed for Cyprus talks restart

(4 Feb 2021) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: AGENCY POOL Nicosia - 4 February 2021 1. British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides arriving for press conference 2. SOUNDBITE (English) Nikos Christodoulides, Cypriot Foreign Minister: "I specifically expressed our declared readiness to continue negotiations on the basis of the framework of the UN Secretary-General, the existing convergences and a joint declaration of February 2014 while expressing at the same time the hope that the same level of commitment will be displayed by all involved." 3. Raab and Christodoulides during press conference 4.  SOUNDBITE (English) Dominic Raab, British Foreign Secretary: "We want to see a permanent, enduring and lasting end to the dispute and I hope that all parties will seize the opportunity that the 5+1 talks present to really change the conversation and give children and young people of the island the brightest possible future in the years ahead. I think it is an opportunity to push for a settlement which will benefit both sides but also have a premium of a dividend, if you like, for regional stability and security and prosperity." ++ BLACK FRAMES+++ 5.  SOUNDBITE (English) Dominic Raab, British Foreign Secretary: "I think a failure to reach a settlement after so many efforts would benefit no-one. So again, I urge all sides to come to the talks with a willingness to demonstrate flexibility and compromise and I was very heartened from our conversations about the scope for that and a positive outcome." 6. Raab and Christodoulides leaving STORYLINE: The British Foreign Secretary said Thursday that flexibility and compromise are key to making the most of a fresh United Nations bid to restart talks on resolving Cyprus’ decades-old ethnic division. Dominic Raab said Britain is ready to lend its support in helping to “break the logjam” that has blocked a peace deal for nearly half a century, fueled tensions over offshore energy reserves and encumbered Turkey’s relationship with the European Union. “I think a failure to reach a settlement after so many efforts would benefit no-one," Raab said after talks with his Cypriot counterpart Nikos Christodoulides. “So again I urge all sides to come to the talks with a willingness to demonstrate flexibility and compromise and I was very heartened from our conversations about the scope for that and a positive outcome," Raab said. Britain is Cyprus' former colonial ruler, and still maintains military bases on the island that's strategically placed between Europe and the Middle East. Raab’s remarks come two days after Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said any Cyprus peace deal in line with the long-established, U.N.-backed formula of federation is off the table after decades of fruitless talks, and any accord should be negotiated between two equal sovereign states. That approach could complicate a meeting that U.N. Chief Antonio Guterres is expected to call next month to bring together rival Greek and Turkish Cypriots as well as Cyprus' ‘guarantors' - Greece, Turkey and Britain - to gauge the chances of resuming talks. Greek Cypriots strongly reject any deal that would legitimize the east Mediterranean island nation’s ethnic partition that came about in 1974 when Turkey invaded following a coup aimed at union with Greece. Only Turkey recognizes a Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence in the island's northern third where it keeps more than 35,000 troops. Christodoulides said any peace deal must be in line with UN resolutions and EU law. =========================================================== Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives ​​ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/ddd8de7a564d4b93ad52c1f8a5adfa0b