Cyprus' services sector cannot be further hit by European sanctions against Russia, Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides said on Sunday, adding that sanctions cannot have more of a negative effect on member states than on Russia itself.
Mr. Kasoulides was speaking on the sidelines of Europe Day celebrations that took place on Sunday morning at Eleftherias Square in central Nicosia.
Asked about the agenda of the online meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Cyprus, Greece, Israel and the United States on Monday, May 9, the Foreign Minister said that the topics identified are contribution to the security and stability of the region, economic issues, climate and natural disasters, with Cyprus' intervention focusing on the blue economy.
Kasoulides added that the online meeting will be followed by a face-to-face meeting between the stakeholders by the end of the year. "I believe that we will come up with some decisions to launch actions, which will be monitored by experts and the deliverables of which will be the subject of the next meeting," he added.
Asked about the content of Cyprus' intervention before its European partners the day after next Monday at the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, the Minister said that "I will give importance to what has been proven, namely the unity of the European Union, with which we acted without delay in response to Russia's invasion and we are participating and contributing to this unity."
"Because the packages of restrictive measures are increasing, the aggregate effect is also increasing, which the European Commission has to take into account when it comes up with proposals, because it has to know what the particularities of each member state are. The sanctions are being introduced to be our protest, to stop Russia's war machine from interfering in Ukraine. These sanctions cannot have more of a negative effect on member states than on Russia itself."
Asked to comment on the insecurity that currently grips the commercial world of Cyprus as the sixth package of sanctions specifically targets services and with Cyprus' services being directly linked to Russian funds, Mr. Kasoulides said that "huge efforts have been made to protect our services sector from disproportionate decisions as far as we are concerned because other member states are suffering other problems. For example, we do not have the problem of importing gas or oil from Russia, while others are much more dependent. But we have three sectors, tourism, which was affected, shipping and services, these cannot be further affected."
Finally, when asked whether Cyprus would support the removal of the unanimity requirement for decisions in the European Council, the Foreign Minister said that small states cannot accept such a proposal. "There are other very serious issues where many member states have special interests in other areas, not only in the field of foreign policy. Cyprus is in favour of unanimity in the field of foreign policy," he concluded.
Source: CNA
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