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Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos participated in the informal Council of Foreign Ministers of the European Union (Gymnich), which took place on 30-31 August 2023, in Toledo, Spain.
On the agenda were the latest developments in Ukraine and the coordinated EU response, as well as developments in the Sahel, focusing on the military coup in Niger. Foreign Minister of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba, Foreign Minister of Niger Hassoumi Massaoudou and President of ECOWAS (Commission of the Economic Community of West African States) Omar Touray participated in part of the Council's discussions.
On Ukraine, Mr. Kobos reiterated that Cyprus supports Ukraine and stands for its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. In this context, the Foreign Minister referred to the humanitarian support that Cyprus has so far provided to Ukraine.
Regarding the Sahel region, and in particular the latest developments in Niger, the Minister expressed Cyprus' strong condemnation of the military coup, stressing that the democratically elected government of Niger has the full solidarity of Cyprus. He also expressed Cyprus' full support to ECOWAS' efforts for a peaceful resolution of the crisis, with the primary objective of restoring constitutional order and the immediate release of the democratically elected President, Mr. Mohamed Bazoum.
The Foreign Minister also provided an update on the serious violation of the status quo of the buffer zone in the Pyla area, as well as on the organised threats and violence by the occupying authorities against UN peacekeepers. He also referred to the prompt and strong response of the United Nations, the EU institutions, our European partners and the international community, expressing thanks to the EU and our partners. Minister underlined that the Government remains committed to the resumption of negotiations for a settlement of the Cyprus problem within the agreed UN framework, stressing that the latest Turkish moves undermine the efforts made to resume negotiations and inevitably affect the future of Euro-Turkish relations.
In the margins of the Gymnich proceedings, Mr. Kombos had contacts with a number of his counterparts from EU member states.
(MF/NG)
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