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- Ελληνικά
The President of the Republic Mr.Nicos Christodoulides and the President of the European Parliament Ms.Roberta Metsola expressed their grief over the attack on World Central Kitchen workers, calling for further and in-depth investigation of the incident.
In their statements to the media at the Search and Rescue Coordination Centre (RSCC), in whose facilities they had earlier toured, the President of the Republic said, among other things, that the World Central Kitchen is one of Cyprus' key partners in the "Amalthea" initiative, expressing his condolences to the organisation and to the victims' families, while calling for a thorough investigation of the incident.
He added that the tragic incident should not discourage us, but we should redouble our efforts to provide more assistance to the civilian population of Gaza.
The EU should not just be an observer to what is happening in the region, but we have a responsibility to act and take initiatives with our partners to end the war and start the political process for a lasting solution on the basis of UN Security Council resolutions."
He added that Cyprus, as the EU member state closest to the Middle East region, has excellent relations with all its neighbours, aims to meet its moral obligation to alleviate the suffering of civilians in Gaza and to this end we are working together with our partners the UN, the EU, the US, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and others, noting that the safe distribution of aid is imperative and must be ensured.
Elsewhere in his remarks, President Christodoulides said that the Amalthea initiative is not a substitute for other humanitarian aid routes, but complementary to them.
"We have already sent the first two shipments of hundreds of tons of aid directly to Gaza, through our close cooperation with the UAE. In addition, we are working with partners and stakeholders to make aid to Gaza more stable and predictable." He added that the Amalthea Fund was activated.
He also referred to the US government's decision to establish a temporary dock to allow for the transfer of more humanitarian aid.
Regarding his meeting with Ms Metsola yesterday, the President said they discussed issues of common interest, noting that he briefed her on our ongoing efforts to resume talks on the Cyprus problem, as well as on his recent meeting with the UN Secretary General in Brussels.
"We will have another European Council in two weeks, where Euro-Turkish relations will be discussed", President Christodoulides said, noting that "we are ready for progress on this issue with a step-by-step approach, provided that Turkey is constructively engaged in all aspects of Euro-Turkish relations, including of course the Cyprus issue and the resumption of talks on the basis of the UNSC resolutions which are an important component of the relations between Brussels and Ankara."
He also said that he and Ms Metsola exchanged views on the Migration issue, underlining the major problem Cyprus is facing with the increasing migratory flows of Syrians from Lebanon, which he described as deeply worrying."
"I fully understand the challenges Lebanon is facing, but exporting migrants to Cyprus should not be the answer and cannot be accepted," the President said.
He also stressed that the EU should stand by Cyprus in a tangible way in addressing the challenges posed by the migration issue.
Finally, the President of the Republic welcomed the fact that Ms Metsola is visiting Member States mainly with the aim of turning out young people at the polls for the European elections, noting that he himself is making efforts to this end and praised Ms Metsola's successful work and contribution to the Presidency of the European Parliament, which, he said, supports Cyprus' struggle for a solution to the Cyprus problem and the "Amalthea" initiative of the Republic of Cyprus.
For her part, Ms Metsola said, among other things, that Cyprus is Europe's first gateway to the Middle East, Asia and Africa, noting that what we see here with the Amalthea initiative "is precisely the translation of European values, solidarity, peace, united in our common humanitarianism."
She added that the situation in Gaza is desperate, noting that humanitarian aid workers must be protected.
Ms. Metsola hailed the Amalthea initiative, noting, addressing President Christodoulides, that "we greatly appreciate your leadership and your personal commitment to make this initiative a success, a reality."
She added that this leadership is an example for Europe and internationally and proves that there are no small and big leaders and that ideas are not based on geography. This, she said, is something that Cyprus proves every day.
Referring to the Cyprus problem, Ms Metsola said that the European Parliament fully supports efforts to achieve progress under the auspices of the UN, noting that President Christodoulides' personal commitment in this direction is highly appreciated.
Regarding Migration, Ms Metsola said that the European Parliament will soon vote on the unprecedented legislative package, which is a demand of European citizens, including Cypriots since 2019.
Finally, she pointed out the great importance of the upcoming European elections for the future of Europe and thanked President Christodoulides for having "Europe in his heart", as she said.
Finally, asked if the tragic attack on World Central Kitchen workers will affect the sea corridor from Cyprus to Gaza, the President replied in the negative, stressing that the initiative will continue as long as the needs of the civilians exist.
(PM/NZ/EP)
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