[PIO] Statements by the President of the Republic on the Cyprus problem

The need for unanimity at home was underlined today by the President of the Republic Mr Nikos Christodoulides, who attended and delivered a commemorative speech at the annual memorial service of National Archbishop Makarios III, in Kykkos.

In his statements to journalists, after the memorial service, the trisagion at the grave of the National Lord Makarios III and the laying of a wreath at his statue in Kykkos, the President of the Republic, asked about the message of the day, said: "the message of the day is clear, it is what I mentioned during my speech that, especially in the present context, a difficult context, where we are doing everything possible to restart the talks, what is needed is internally to have this unanimity.

Any different approaches or views are fully respected, but I am sure that the goal is common. I will take it a step further on the occasion of the Greek Prime Minister's descent tomorrow, and because I see some people anxiously (trying) to find differences between Athens and Nicosia. We will disappoint them, because there is a common line, a common approach, common goals. After all, the challenges are common.

And one of the main reasons why the Greek Prime Minister will be here tomorrow is to see more thoroughly how this effort that is underway, and we welcome the engagement of our EU partners who are building on our approach, have started an effort because of our clear approach on how to create a mutually acceptable state of affairs, a mutually beneficial state of affairs for all, to discuss that - as the EU has stated through the Conclusions, through the recent statements of Mr.

So, with the Greek Prime Minister - we will also discuss other issues, such as energy and migration - one of the key issues that we will see is in relation to the Euro-Turkish issues and the next steps, the next milestone in front of us is the UN General Assembly."

So, with the Greek Prime Minister - we will also discuss other issues, such as energy and migration - one of the key issues that we will see is in relation to the Euro-Turkish issues and the next steps, the next milestone in front of us is the UN General Assembly.

To a journalist's remark that his visit with the Turkish Cypriot leader at the Anthropological Laboratory took place in a friendly atmosphere and asked if he expects a reply about their social meeting and the trilateral meeting with the UN Secretary General in New York, the President of the Republic said: "there is no news. As far as the Secretary General is concerned, I asked Mr. Tatar, I expressed my desire to address him jointly either in writing or orally and his reaction was positive, saying that such meetings are always held, he has no objection to having such a meeting, of course what we are interested in is that there should be a result. So, we are working to do the proper groundwork so that there is a result.

Yes, I also reiterated my invitation for the social dinner, he said he doesn't know if he will be in Cyprus yet and it was not something he ruled out. I hope, I insist, I will continue the invitations, I am here despite all the problems, challenges, difficulties. I have also heard the public statements made within the framework of our visit to the CMP, we were there to send a message and to respect first and foremost the families who have been waiting for so long, I did not want to get involved, publicly especially, in such a discussion. In any case, we will do everything possible to create conditions for the resumption of talks."

Asked if he sees a difference between Erdogan's position on two states and equal sovereignty and his position that Turkey would be more conciliatory, as in the period of the Annan plan, the President said: "I have seen the interview, I have heard the statements, I have heard assessments from many of our interlocutors, especially Europeans who took a leading role. Everything will be decided at the negotiating table. What I can say is that I am ready, and that is why I consider the meeting with the United Nations Secretary-General to be decisive, for the next steps in relation to Euro-Turkey, because I would remind you that the European Council has in fact decided that Euro-Turkey will be discussed in October. Before October there is the General Assembly, there is, after the end of this week, hopefully this meeting, there will be many bilateral meetings where the Cyprus issue will be discussed, and hopefully there will be developments that will allow us to have developments on Euro-Turkey in October as well."

In response to a journalist's remark that he is strongly criticized by some that while there is a barrage of provocative Turkish statements he is silent, the President of the Republic said: "it is true and I consciously choose not to respond because I am not interested in the communication management of the Cyprus problem. And the Cyprus problem will not be solved through public statements or if I enter into a daily confrontation with Mr Tatar. You saw and during the visit (to the CMP) I consciously chose not to respond to what he had mentioned."

Asked if the issue with the US senators sends the wrong messages, the President said: "what I hold and I think it is particularly important - the visit is reprehensible, I am not discussing it, I think we all agree on that - is the discomfort of the American Government itself and of the American Embassy here, which has done everything possible, in cooperation with us and with our expatriate community, to prevent such a visit from taking place. And it was partly successful as far as one Senator is concerned."

Asked what our European partners' efforts include with regard to Turkey, which he referred to earlier in his remarks, President Christodoulides said: "they are countries that have a special relationship with Turkey because of many factors, economic interests, military interests, the need for Turkey to come back close to the West. We see what its stance is on Ukraine, we see the excellent relations it has with Russia, and in this context some EU countries whose leaders have already met with Mr Erdogan on the sidelines of the NATO summit are working so that there are developments on the Cyprus issue that will open the door for positive developments in Euro-Turkish affairs."

Asked whether he shared the assessments of some foreign analysts that President Putin was encouraged by Erdogan's re-election, President Christodoulides said that "I read a lot of analyses, it's not something I either agree or disagree with. Particularly with regard to what is happening in Ukraine, with regard to the Russian invasion or internal developments in Russia, we want to be informed. We also have an internal network within the EU where we have some information that does not see the light of day, and we evaluate what we have before us."

In response to a journalist's remark that the Union of Occupied Municipalities asked the Government, during the meeting of its delegation with the President, to take measures to put an end to the sale of Greek Cypriot occupied properties and what the Government intends to do about it, President Christodoulides said: "already, before the meeting with the Union of Occupied Municipalities, both in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Legal Service and the Ministry of Interior, specific decisions were taken that will be known very soon."

Asked if he sensed a differentiation in the Turkish Cypriot side's approach to the Cyprus problem after his meeting the day before yesterday with Mr Tatar, the President said: "we had a private conversation, very brief of course, he mentioned some things to me, I don't want to make them public, I can't speak for Mr Tatar. What I told him in response to what he said is that we will see all this at the negotiating table. If we do not talk, if the talks do not resume, then we cannot see in practice whether everything that has been said is true. And the second thing I mentioned to him is that, as things stand today, the only people who are definitely the losers are the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots."

(PM/MB)
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