With a new reference to the national tragedy of Tempe, he began the joint statements with the president of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulidis and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. The prime minister declared that he will be the first in the battle to uproot everything old, while expressing his condolences for the Cypriot students who perished in Tempi. “We are determined to change what has hurt us. Gaps of decades and unacceptable behavior of government employees since yesterday. I will be the first in the battle to uproot every islet of the old anachronistic state. Our people are together in this test as well”.

Mitsotakis-Christodoulidis: The restart of the dialogue on the Cyprus issue is necessary

Institutionalization of the Supreme Council of Cooperation between Greece and Cyprus announced Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the President of the Republic of Cyprus after their meeting at the Maximos Palace. Both pointed out the need to restart the dialogue on the Cyprus issue with as much involvement of the European Union as possible, while both leaders made reference to the Tempe disaster with the prime minister repeating that “he will be the first in the battle to uproot everything old”.

The prime minister began his remarks with a new reference to the national tragedy of Tempi, declaring that he will be the first in the battle to uproot everything old, while offering his condolences for the Cypriot students who perished in Tempi. Then he said:

My dear Nikos, you took office in the midst of great geopolitical fluidity. Today it is more necessary than ever to strengthen the alliance between Greece and Cyprus. With President Anastasiades, we had a long journey in Brussels. To continue our great common vision, the resolution of the Cyprus problem. Athens and Nicosia we managed to expand the influence at all levels: We achieved conviction, joint initiatives on immigration, we became protagonists of a new energy map that is taking shape. And the next council in Brussels is crucial on many fronts.

Regarding the relations between Greece and Turkey after a long period of unacceptable provocations and aggressive behavior, we are experiencing today, after the deadly earthquakes, a de-escalation and more positive behavior. I want to hope such an improvement can have an impact on the Cyprus issue as well.
If Turkish intransigence blocked every step, your experience as foreign minister makes me more optimistic.
To initiate the dialogue on the Cyprus issue with possibly greater European involvement.

We announce the Establishment of a Supreme Cooperation Council between our countries.

I believe that at our first meeting we will be able to discuss issues of common interest and set common goals. Common course with Athens always on the side of Nicosia and I on your side, my friend Nikos.

The president of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulidis again expressed his condolences for the Tempe tragedy. He referred to the symbolism of the visit to Athens of the current president of the Republic of Cyprus in Greece.

“The semiotics of the first visit of the President of the Republic of Cyprus to Greece is extremely important and sends a clear message about the level of our relations and the fraternal ties between the two countries. My first visit as the President of the Republic of Cyprus to Greece is not only of symbolic importance, it has a particularly substantial significance considering the common challenges we have to face, as well as our common aspirations both bilaterally and regionally as well as within our common of a European family” said the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulidis, during his statements after his meeting with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and after expressing his condolences for the unspeakable tragedy in Tempi, underlining that Cyprus sympathizes and mourns with Greece.

“We had the opportunity to discuss the Cyprus issue, where, among other things, I informed the prime minister in detail about the need for more active involvement of the EU in the effort to break the deadlock in the Cyprus issue and restart the talks. We know very well that the facts are not easy, we know the difficulties, but at the same time we have the strong conviction that the current state of affairs cannot be the solution to the Cyprus issue. Cyprus cannot remain divided and under occupation,” he added.