President Nicos Anastasiades is in Brussels, where he will participate today in the EU-Southeast Asia (ASEAN) Summit and tomorrow in the European Council.
Regarding the EU-ASEAN Summit, the leaders' discussions will revolve around three thematic areas. The first is on geopolitics and global and regional security and stability challenges; the second is on economics with a focus on connectivity, trade and supply chain sustainability; and the third is on sustainable green and digital transition, food security and protection of natural resources.
In his intervention for the first thematic section, the President of the Republic will refer to the problems that the Turkish occupation and the lack of a solution to the Cyprus problem pose to regional security and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean region, and will inform his counterparts of the efforts being made by our side towards achieving a political settlement, on the basis of the United Nations Charter and in accordance with the provisions of the Security Council resolutions on Cyprus, for the benefit of all the parties concerned. The Enlargement Conclusions adopted yesterday at the EU General Affairs Council will also be discussed, part of which also concerns Turkey. It is worth noting that, for the first time in this context, Turkey, among other things, is called upon to refrain from actions that violate UN Security Council Resolutions 541 and 550.
More specifically, the discussion on Ukraine will focus on ways of supporting the country to cope with the winter, suggesting a series of actions to support it with humanitarian aid and other means, providing assistance to displaced persons and approving macro-economic assistance. The need to bring all third countries, in particular candidate countries, including Turkey, into line with the sanctions imposed by the EU will also be discussed.
On energy and economic issues, the leaders will exchange views on the Gas Price Correction Mechanism and more generally on the measures taken to limit the increase in energy prices, which will contribute to the objective of curbing inflationary pressures, without ignoring that the key to their effectiveness is first and foremost their ability to be implemented in practice. They will also exchange views on the importance of protecting vulnerable households and supporting small and medium-sized enterprises.
In the debate on Defence and Security, the need to strengthen the industrial and technological base of the EU's defence sector, as well as strengthening the EU's ability to act autonomously where and when needed, are expected to be key issues.
The exchange of views on the EU's relations with its Southern Neighbourhood partners - namely its neighbours from the Middle East and North Africa - is considered particularly timely, as the Southern Neighbourhood region is of strategic importance for ensuring stability and security in Europe, especially in the light of developments in Ukraine and the wider consequences of the war. Developments which make it necessary to strengthen political and economic cooperation between the two parties in order to better address the consequences of the energy crisis, food security and other interrelated challenges, such as irregular migration.
For the video of the statement of the Government Spokesperson click here .
(MF/MB/SX)
Contents of this article including associated images are owned by PIO
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or PIO
Source
