Roundup: Greek Cypriots ready for resumption of peace talks: spokesman

Cyprus gave a qualified response on Tuesday to a United Nations statement that it expected peace negotiations to resume "within weeks" after a six-month hiatus.

United Nations Secretary General's advisor on Cyprus, Norwegian diplomat Espen Barth Eide said after meeting with Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders in Nicosia that the right circumstances existed for the resumption of the talks.

Cypriot government spokesman Nicos Christodoulides said the Greek Cypriot side was ready to withdraw its decision to suspend its participation in the UN-led negotiating process.

But his comments on Eide's announcement intoned Cyprus's deep suspicion of Turkey and also an underlying concern that it may cause another suspension of the decades' old negotiations.

The negotiations were suspended by Cypriot president Nicos Anastasiades in late October 2014, after Turkey issued a nautical advisory and sent warships and a seismic data ship to explore for natural gas in an area claimed by Cyprus.

Christodoulides said the United Nations diplomat had conveyed to president Anastasiades the message from Turkey that following the withdrawal of a Turkish seismographic ship from Cyprus's exclusive economic zone Ankara will not proceed with the renewal of its nautical advisory for further natural gas exploration.

"In view of these facts, and taking into consideration our strong desire for a solution to the Cyprus problem the earliest possible, our side is ready to withdraw its decision for the suspension of its participation in the negotiating process," the spokesman said.

He added that the Greek Cypriot side would like to see in practice a reported intention by Turkey to facilitate the negotiations.

"This is something that he (Eide) conveyed to us during his meeting today with the president and we are waiting to see it in practice," Christodoulides added.

Eide had earlier told a press conference at the headquarters of the United Nations mission in Cyprus that there were no obstacles any more in the way of an early resumption of negotiations.

"The stated reasons why talks could not happen are gone, at least for the foreseeable future," he said.

Eide said talks could resume after a vote on April 19 to elect a leader of the breakaway part of Cyprus.

Turkey occupied the northern area of the eastern Mediterranean island in 1974, reacting to a coup by Greek army officers.

Repeated rounds of negotiations since then have failed to produce an agreement to reunify the island.

Cypriot government sources have said that barring unexpected developments negotiations are to resume probably on May 12.

But Anastasiades has repeatedly warned that there will be an automatic suspension of the negotiations should Turkey act again in a way encroaching on Cyprus' sovereign rights. Endit