|
The President of the Republic,
Mr Nicos Anastasiades, today sent a message to Turkey and the Turkish
Cypriots that if they really desire a peaceful solution to the Cyprus problem
then they should assist in satisfying primarily the demands of all Cypriots,
Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots alike, and not the claims of Turkey.
In his remarks to the media,
following his meeting with the Foreign Minister of Slovenia, Mr Anze Logar,
at his residence in Lemesos, President Anastasiades said that the meeting was
held "in view of the upcoming Slovenian Presidency (of the EU) in the
second half of the year. It was a dialogue that focused mainly on the EU’s
obligations toward all EU member states, given especially that the Cyprus
problem is passing through a crucial juncture."
He added that in addition to
the visits by the British and the Slovenian Foreign Ministers, on Monday he
will meet with the Prime Minister of Greece, and will possibly visit Israel
next week, while the High Representative of the EU will also visit Cyprus
within the next few days, "in order to consult together on how to
utilize this great instance, given the UN Secretary-General’s intention to
convene an informal meeting on the Cyprus problem for common ground to be
found for the resumption of a productive dialogue.
A dialogue, the President
added, "that will, I hope, lead toward permanent peace through the
solution of the Cyprus problem which should always certainly be based on the
principles of the UN and the EU, and always include rules that would provide
for the functionality of the state within the framework of a bizonal
bicommunal federation."
Asked as to the message he is
sending to Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots, in view of the meeting that the
UN SG intends to convene, the President of the Republic said that " the
message I convey to all our interlocutors, is one and the same: Our determination
and political will to participate, and indeed in an informal meeting without
any preconditions. Of course, when the time for substantial dialogue arrives
it is necessary to have an absolute concurrence with the UN rules so that the
conditions for a productive dialogue are created.
Our message is, and I repeat it
once again, our determination to participate not only simply in the informal
meeting, but also in a substantial dialogue based on the communique of 25
November 2019 which set the parameters of the joint declaration of 11
February 2014, the convergences that were achieved until then, and the six
parameters of the UN Secretary-General.
That is my message to Turkey
and the Turkish Cypriot side. If, in fact, they desire a peaceful solution
and also have the sincere disposition to contribute so the conditions for a
genuine coexistence with our Turkish Cypriot compatriots will exist, they
must help so that the demands of all Cypriots, Greek Cypriots and Turkish
Cypriots, are satisfied, as a matter of priority and not the claims of
Turkey."
RM/EH
|
