The Embassy of Slovakia held a reception at the Ledra Palace Hotel in the buffer zone in Lefkoşa on the occasion of the 34th anniversary of the first bi-communal political parties meeting, which took place on May 16, 1989.
Speaking at the reception, Slovakian Ambassador Martin Bezak said that during the meetings held regularly with the participation of representatives of political parties under the auspices of the Embassy of Slovakia, the common problems of the Cypriot people were discussed and the meeting outputs were shared with the press and the diplomatic community at the end of the day.
Stating that the Embassy of Slovakia assumed the role of a fair and responsible mediator at these meetings, Bezak said that the sole purpose of Slovak diplomacy was to contribute to the reconciliation of both communities, to maintain good relations between them and to facilitate mutual dialogue.
Pointing out that there were many issues that needed to be discussed in the current economic, political and security context of the island, the region and even the world, Bezak said, “My country does not expect any benefit from the mediation role. We will continue to contribute to a viable, just solution and a future where the people of Cyprus live in peace and harmony.”
Following Bezak’s speech, the Bi-Communal Choir for Peace in Cyprus performed.
The United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Representative in Cyprus Colin Stewart, made a statement to the press after the reception and said “I believe that we are on the verge of an important opportunity for a solution to the Cyprus problem. Everyone should contribute their best in this process.”
“Having an opportunity does not solve the problem. But this is the first step,” Stewart said and stressed that the UN’s role as a mediator was to help the parties find common ground and that they will continue to focus on this.