Stockholm 18.11.16

Cyprus: The Prospects for a Settlement and Wider Implications discussed at the 13th Round Table of the Trilateral Strategy Group meeting in Stockholm, 16-18 November 2016

 

Cyprus and the prospects for a settlement and wider implications was one of the sessions on the first day at the 13th Round Table of the Trilateral Strategy Group with the theme “The Long Disorder” taking place currently in Stockholm, Sweden.

 

Peter Weiderud, Moderator of the Religious Track of the Cyprus Peace Process (RTCYPP) under the Auspices of the Embassy of Sweden and Director of the Swedish Institute Alexandria, was one of the speakers at the panel alongside Kathleen Doherty, Ambassador of the USA to the Republic of Cyprus and Soli Ozel, Professor of International Relations at the Istanbul Kadir Has University and a columnist at Haberturk. The panel was moderated by Ozgur Unluhisarcikli, Director of the Ankara Office of the German Marshall Fund of the USA.

 

“One promising development in the midst of the long disorder in the world is Cyprus”, was a statement repeatedly heard at the round table which brought together 40 experts including diplomats, government officials, parliamentarians, scholars, academics, businesspersons and journalists mainly from Turkey, USA and Sweden. All agreed that currently Cyprus is “the silver lining that gives the region and the transatlantic partners the much needed hope.”

 

The round table discussed the number of highly complex and sensitive issues that remain to be resolved as well as the role of different actors in Cyprus including the Religious Track and its contribution to the peace process. Discussions focused on understanding the prospects of a solution including the concrete concerns and fears of the communities. In his introduction, Peter Weiderud stated that, “the current phase in the Cyprus peace process is a chance for all Cypriots to determine their future themselves”. “The status quo is neither possible, sustainable nor workable.” In describing the RTCYPP, he stated that it “was established to encourage, facilitate and serve the religious leaders’ dialogue and efforts for religious freedom and peace in Cyprus; to acknowledge the historic presence of Christianity and Islam on the whole of the island and to contribute positively to the Cyprus peace talks.”

 

The support and commitment of Turkey, USA and Sweden to the current negotiations for comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus conflict was reiterated.