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Roundup: Britain not wish to pursue role of guarantor for Cyprus: Cypriot gov't spokesman

Xinhua, September 28, 2016 Adjust font size:

Britain does not wish to continue its role as one of the guarantor powers for Cyprus's constitutional status quo, Cypriot government spokesman Nicos Christodoulides said on Tuesday.

Under the 1960 Treaty of Establishment for Cyprus, Britain, Turkey and Greece were given guarantor and intervention rights to restore the constitutional status quo in case of a change without the consent of any of the three countries or the two communities of the eastern Mediterranean island.

Turkey used its guarantor rights as a pretext to occupy over 37 percent of Cyprus' territory when the military rulers of Greece at the time staged a short lived coup to overthrow Cypriot president Makarios.

Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades discussed the issue of terminating the guarantees system with Britain's Prime Minister Teresa May in London on Tuesday, telling her that the guarantees must be scrapped under a Cyprus solution.

"It is important that she repeated the known position of the United Kingdom concerning the guarantees, which is that London does not pursue any guarantor power role," said Christodoulides.

He added that May offered Britain's help as a permanent member of the UN Security Council to find a way to end the 42-year long Cyprus dispute.

Under the 1960 Treaties, Britain has retained in Cyprus two sovereign military bases. Akrotiri Air Base on the southern shores of Cyprus is a hub for supporting western military operations in the region of the Middle East.

Abrogation of the guarantees and the withdrawal of all Turkish troops from Cyprus is a red line for Cypriot President Anastasiades in reaching an agreement for the reunification of Cyprus and the reintegration of Turkish Cypriots.

Turkish Cypriots currently live in segregation in the enclave occupied by Turkish troops where they set up a breakaway state recognized only by Turkey.

Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci are expected to tackle the issue of security arrangements of a new state when they resume their negotiations in quest of a solution of the Cyprus problem.

It is expected to be one of the thorniest issues in their discussions as Turkish Cypriots insist on some kind of guarantees by Turkey and Ankara has been reported to be reluctant to end its control over Cyprus. Endit