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- Ελληνικά
Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides said that the proposal of the Republic of Cyprus for the Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) is positively received abroad.
Mr. Kasoulides, who was answering questions from journalists on his way to a workshop of the Glaucus Clerides Institute, also clarified that it was not the government that put the sanctions in brackets but some EU member states and called on all those who oppose the MOU "to listen to what is the cost and what is the benefit of the proposal of the measures and if there is someone who disagrees that the main benefit is to save Famagusta to come out and tell us."
Responding to a question about his participation in the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) and his contacts in Brussels on Monday, Kasoulides said that "it is a big agenda". It starts on Monday, he said, with the FAC, which has many issues to discuss. According to him, it includes the joint session of the Gulf countries with EU member states, the topical issue of Ukraine and the security situation in Eastern Europe and Climate Change issues, which are also important.
In relation to his contacts, the Foreign Minister said that "I will have a meeting with Mr. Borel first thing in the morning on Monday." Then, he added, I will meet with the German Foreign Minister sometime in the margins of the Council and I will also have a meeting with the Italian Foreign Minister."
"You understand that at the heart of all these meetings will be the promotion from our side of the MoU proposal," he said.
Kasoulides also informed that on Monday evening he will go to Paris, where on Tuesday he will address a session organised on the Indian Pacific Ocean, adding that he chose to speak on environmental issues such as Climate Change and Biodiversity.
Responding to a question whether the proposal for the MEAs is finding "favorable ears", he replied that "the Ambassadors of the Republic where they are accredited have been instructed to inform the governments of their accreditation and from all those I am receiving reports all are positively welcoming the MEA proposal, as with those I have spoken to."
Asked to comment on reactions at home that sanctions were put in brackets, the Foreign Minister replied that "we did not put the sanctions proposal in brackets."
"Some member states put it in brackets, which if they don't agree it doesn't go forward and it stays in brackets," he said. He added, "We simply said to them 'okay it will stay at the technocratic level but since you asked for MEAs instead, here are the MEAs and we ask for your support'."
As for the internal reactions, he said, "I urge everyone to listen to what is the cost and what is the benefit of the measures proposal and if there is someone who disagrees that the main benefit is to save Famagusta to come out and tell us."
As for the internal reactions, he said, "I urge everyone to listen to what is the cost and what is the benefit of the measures proposal and if there is someone who disagrees that the main benefit is to save Famagusta to come out and tell us.
Asked about the Ukrainian issue and whether it helps or marginalizes developments in the Cyprus problem, Kasoulides replied that "it neither helps nor marginalizes, but you understand that a serious development in Ukraine will focus the attention of everyone, including us there."
Asked if it upgrades Turkey's position, he replied that "Turkey is trying to upgrade itself to mediate and so on."
Source: CNA
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