Stewart: Political Will and Courage Needed for Cyprus Issue Resolution

Stewart stressed that resolving a conflict is always political, highlighting the importance of the will of negotiators and the necessity of political courage. He mentioned that there is currently an opportunity, with the "President of Cyprus" pressing for a resumption of dialogue and encouraging everyone to play their role, but warned that hope may diminish each year.

Referring to the incidents in Pile last summer, Stewart also underscored the role of the peacekeeping force in reaching a consensus on the matter.

Andreas Mavroyannis, the former negotiator for the Greek Cypriot side, stated in his speech that they were closer than ever to resolving the Cyprus issue during the negotiations in Crans Montana. He emphasized that this was not mediation or arbitration but free negotiation, making it the best of all time.

Özdil Nami, former negotiator for the Turkish Cypriot side, remarked in his speech that there are no "frozen conflicts," and that everyone agrees that the current situation in Cyprus is unacceptable.

In his speech at the seminar, former Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja mentioned that his father, Sakari Tuomioja, was the first mediator for Cyprus at the UN. The event also featured Pertti Torstila, a former Finnish deputy minister, who served in UNFICYP. Zbigniew Wlosowicz, the former Special Representative of the UN for Cyprus, was also present. Finnish Ambassador Harri Maki-Reinikka welcomed the participants and highlighted his country's contribution to peacekeeping efforts.