The issue of more active participation of the EU in the solution of the Cyprus issue was put on the sidelines of the meetings that took place at the EU-CELAC Summit, as stated by the President of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulidis.

He also noted that Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are expected to visit Cyprus next week.

“I have been thoroughly informed by the Chancellor of Germany, the French President, the President of the European Council and of course the Greek Prime Minister about what was discussed on the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Lithuania. I want to express my satisfaction with what I have heard. I note Turkey’s interest in strengthening Euro-Turkish relations, it is something we support, it is something we support. It is something that is part of the wider context of our own proposal, our own approach. I was pleased to hear that this strengthening of relations also goes through substantial developments in the Cyprus issue and I believe that in the next period it will be judged whether these statements, the expression of interest, will be accompanied by specific moves that, I repeat, are directly related to the Cyprus issue . I, I want to say, have a moderate optimism for the developments”, emphasized Mr. Christodoulidis.

The Cypriot President pointed out that, “Mrthe processes are continuing at the diplomatic level and they will continue during the summer and I think they will culminate in New York and depending on the result in New York we will see and possibly and hopefully there will be positive developments also in October at the European Council. Everything will depend on actions and not simply intentions. I am now here to work on specific developments regarding the resumption of talks to resolve the Cyprus issue, with an enhanced role for the European Union, taking into account Turkey’s interest in getting closer to the European Union” stated N. Christodoulidis.

As he said, “next week I will have the pleasure of welcoming the Greek prime minister to Cyprus. I will also welcome the Prime Minister of Israel. There will be bilateral meetings as well as a tripartite meeting. In particular, together with the Greek prime minister, we will define the strategy for the next concrete steps to achieve this goal.”

When asked if there is any indication of the positions of the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on the Cyprus issue beyond Euro-Turkish relations, Mr. Christodoulidis replied that it is “important that the Turkish President understands, always on the basis of the information I have received from distributed, the need for progress in the Cyprus issue as well, the resumption of talks on the basis of the agreed framework. We will see all this in practice and I sincerely believe, hope, hope that there will be such concrete developments”.