Cyprus Mail 10 January 2022 - by Anna Savva
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| File Photo - Ioannis Kasoulides |
Ioannis Kasoulides will take over as foreign minister, succeeding Nikos Christodoulides, who has resigned, effective from Tuesday.
The official announcement confirming the widely anticipated development, was made by President Nicos Anastasiades in a written statement on Monday.
Anastasiades said he was “especially saddened” by Christodoulides’ resignation, as the foreign minister had been “one of his close associates for a number of years.”
And the president added: “Unfortunately, in view of developments, I had no other choice but to accept his resignation. I warmly thank him for his service.”
Kasouludes, who has “successful and lengthy service at the ministry” will take over tomorrow, the president concluded.
Earlier, the Cyprus News Agency reported that Kasoulides, who served as foreign minister during Anastasiades’ first term, spoke by phone with the president last Friday and again today.
They discussed the Cyprus issue, the Republic’s foreign relations and other issues being handled by the foreign ministry.
Kasoulides served as foreign minister from March 1, 2013, to February 28, 2018, handing over to Christodoulides who had previously served as government spokesman and director of the diplomatic office of the president. Kasoulides had also served as foreign minister in the Glafcos Clelrides administration.
Christodoulides announced his resignation on Sunday amid an escalating row with governing party Disy on whether he planned to run for president.
Disy kicks off the process to nominate its candidate for the 2023 elections today. Its president Averof Neophytou submitted his candidacy – the only one in the party — just before midday.
Neophytou has urged Christodoulides – widely seen as running a covert campaign – to seek the nomination through party procedures and suggested that the decision could be taken by the party base through the holding of elections for party president. That announcement on Friday was interpreted as an attempt to force the foreign minister to declare his intentions.
While acknowledging he was considering a presidential run, Christodoulides said on Sunday that he had not taken any decisions. He reiterated that a protracted election campaign would be damaging.
In televised statements he said he would make an announcement about the presidentials when he has made a decision and “not to suit the timeframes of others”, whose ambitions he fully respected.
Christodoulides said his resignation was the result of a series of events and attitudes, public and otherwise, that had taken place in recent times and “that inevitably and unfortunately” affect the serious work that the government had to do.
“Cyprus is facing an unprecedented global pandemic with multiple socio-economic consequences that each of us is experiencing,” he said. “The same goes for my resignation at a time when there are critical issues on the table”.
Christodoulides said that in October 2021, Disy “solemnly announced” that all of the pre-election dialogue would taken place at the end of spring 2022.
He said it was obvious that the sudden acceleration of processes led to an inversion of that plan.
“I judge, for the reasons I mention today and in my previous positions, that it is not yet time for any decisions. That is why until today I have not personally shown interest in the presidential elections, despite what has been heard,” he said.
“To note, at the same time, that I have never expressed interest in the presidency of Disy, which as the decision of President Anastasiades in 2008 proves, is not a prerequisite for claiming the presidency of the Republic. I’m sorry but I will not follow.”
This was reference to Kasoulides running for the presidency as Disy candidate in 2008, while Anastasiades was the party leader.
