The President of the Republic, Mr.Nicos Anastasiades, received the President-elect of the Republic, Mr.Nicos Christodoulides, this evening at the Presidential Palace.
After the meeting, Mr.Christodoulides told reporters that "talking to the President of the Republic is always a pleasure. We have been partners for years. I had the opportunity today in the context of this meeting to thank him once again for the fact that he trusted me in critical positions during his tenure as Director of his Diplomatic Office, Government Spokesman, Foreign Minister.
The President of the Republic briefed me on the major pending issues, whether they concern internal governance issues or issues related to the Cyprus problem, mainly the results of the President's latest contacts with EU member states. I have stated that we will work within this framework in order to break the deadlock on the Cyprus problem.
On internal governance issues, we discussed labour issues, the economy, we exchanged views on all issues and I will certainly see the President again before he leaves the Presidency."
Asked whether he discussed with the President of the Republic the issue of the composition of the Council of Ministers, Mr. Christodoulides replied in the negative, while asked if he received any advice from the President, he said that "in the context of the discussion, advice is heard, and it was important and this was also done in the context of the discussion."
Asked if the Cabinet would be "locked" by the end of this week, Christodoulides said "no. Be patient. I have been informed today that the ceremony will take place on February 28 at 11.30 in the morning, certainly before the ceremony there will be total announcements. I do not rule out that by that date some names will be known, especially the people who are in the Presidency."
In response to another question, he said that he had many phone calls today and not all of them were related to the issue of the Cabinet. "I have discussions with some of them and these contacts will continue in the coming days and weeks. I am close to coming up with some names."
Asked if he had any thoughts about appointing a negotiator for the Cyprus problem, Christodoulides said that "it is a very important position, I have a concrete opinion and you will hear my decision soon."
To another question he said that "my first trip will be to Athens after the inauguration. This was also agreed with the Greek Prime Minister yesterday during our telephone conversation and beyond the symbolism it will be a trip of substantial importance. There are several issues, there is excellent cooperation between Athens and Nicosia. That does not mean that it cannot be further strengthened. I mentioned some specific issues that also concern the Greek Government and these issues will be discussed when I am in Athens."
Asked if he will move to the Presidential Palace, he said that "I have not yet decided. And that will be decided by February 28."
Asked how he spent the first day after the elections, he said he had "several phone calls from several foreign ministers, heads of state and government and meetings that I mentioned before."
He added that preparatory work has been done "on substantive issues that Cypriot society has highlighted as priorities and for these we have a specific plan for each ministry, for the first moves and actions that will be taken. For some of them, bills have been prepared. The third framework, on which we are working feverishly, is in its final stage."
He also expressed confidence that, as in his previous positions, there will be an honest dialogue with all the media and through them with the Cypriot people.
Asked whether President Anastasiades will participate in the National Council, Christodoulides said that "the former and former Presidents of the Republic of Cyprus always participate in the National Council and you can be sure that this tactic will continue."
Asked to refer to his conversation with the Turkish Cypriot leader, Christodoulides said that "it was a good discussion, it was a first discussion initiated by Mr. Tatar. Apart from congratulating me and expressing my feelings of sympathy for all that our Turkish Cypriot compatriots and Turkish citizens are going through. We also touched on the need to put an end to this state of affairs, a situation which is not in the interest of either the Greek Cypriots or the Turkish Cypriots. And it was precisely in this context that I asked Mr. Tatar, I expressed my readiness, to meet with him even before I officially took office to see how we can break this deadlock. For us the proposal we put forward during the election campaign we believe that yes it can - it will not be easy - but yes it can lead to breaking the deadlock as soon as possible. I do not entirely share the view that was expressed during the campaign that we should wait for the elections in Turkey. The passage of time is not in the interest of the Cyprus problem, it is not in the interest of the effort, which I think is common, to break the deadlock. There is a European Council scheduled for March 23 and the need may arise to be there earlier, precisely to discuss with the EU institutions our proposal and formally ask for the effort to begin. I always talk about the need for the EU to be more actively involved, we always talk within the framework of the UN, I do not want there to be any doubt about the objective that is being pursued and that is why there will also be contact with the UN in the coming days".
Finally, when asked, he said that today "I had talks with US officials, personalities who are currently in the government, personalities that I know from my previous positions, and there will be talks in the coming days."
(PM/MB)
Contents of this article including associated images are owned by PIO
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or PIO
Source
