The long-hour meeting on the Cyprus-Crete electrical interconnection ended around 8:00 p.m.

According to philenews.com, the first unofficial information states that it was not – as it was not expected to be – positive conclusion to all the issues that were raised during the discussion that took place, most of them from the Cypriot side.

However, the discussion between the parties will continue in the coming days, thus avoiding a wreck of the process.

The energy ministers of the two countries, George Papanastasiou and Thodoros Skylakakis, stated that the discussion was indeed constructive and will continue.

However, Mr. Skylakakis three times refused to answer in the affirmative to questions about whether he is optimistic that there will be an agreement.

According to KYPE, Mr. Skyalakakis said: “As the President of the Republic said, this meeting was constructive. The work continues.” Asked if he believes that the common components can be found and the economic viability of the project can be ensured based on the regulatory framework, the Greek Minister said that he has nothing else to add and that “what we have said is enough for today”. Answering another question if he is optimistic that a solution can be found, Mr. Skylakakis repeated that he has nothing to add.

To the insistence of a journalist if the negotiations will continue at the technocratic level, Theodoros Skylakakis said that the negotiations will continue “at the political level, obviously”. The reference to a new negotiation at the political level (and political decisions) may refer to the failure of today’s meeting to reduce the differences of a techno-economic nature that the two sides lack.

The Cypriot president of the Republic chaired the meeting for most of it and leaving to move on to another obligation said that the discussion that took place was constructive. He repeated the same upon his return to the Presidential Palace, adding that the meeting was a good opportunity for the sides to listen to each other and to clarify various issues.