By Penelope Galliou

Their joint steps for the resumption of talks on the Cyprus issue in view of it of the UN General Assemblynext week, in New York, they are expected to coordinate Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Nikos Christodoulidis, during their meeting today (11.00 am) at Megaros Maximos.

Athens and Nicosia insist on the need for dialogue between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides in order to seek anew the resumption of negotiations on the basis of the agreed framework. Moderate optimism is expressed for the resumption of talks, as commented by the Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs, George Gerapetritis who expressed the feeling that “circumstances have an element of favour. I feel that Greece’s position in the world, with a view to assuming the position of non-permanent member of the Security Council for the next two years, our international footprint, the improvement of relations between Greece and Turkey, but also the active involvement and prioritization of the Cypriot in the context of the United Nations, they are a relatively fertile ground for us to be able to restart the debate. Division is never acceptable. A solution, however, will only come through the discussion”, he noted, among other things.

At the same time, it has become clear in all directions that Greece and Cyprus they do not step back from the position that the discussions cannot be based on anything other than the resolutions of the Security Council of the United Nations and of course never the division of the island.

During the event marking the 25th anniversary of the tragic crash of the Prime Minister’s Falcon in which the then Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Giannos Kranidiotis, was riding, the President of the Republic of Cyprus referred to his upcoming trip to New York for the UN General Assembly and regarding the possibility of a meeting on the Cyprus issue, he said that he is proceeding “with the expectation that efforts will be intensified to move on to the next step in the Cyprus issue, which cannot be anything other than the resumption of negotiations on the basis of the agreed framework”. He even stated that he was ready for a possible meeting with the Turkish Cypriot leader, a fact that he also conveyed to the UN Secretary General for a meeting with both the Turkish Cypriot leader and the Turkish leadership. “We are not afraid of dialogue, we have positions and arguments, we know well where we want to reach”, he emphasized. “With realism and self-confidence, with planning and with determination, we claim the self-evident: The evolution of the Republic of Cyprus into a state free from anachronistic guarantees and occupying troops, a truly independent and sovereign state throughout its territory, a member of the EU and the United Nations, who alone will determine his fate” he added.

In New York, the Cypriot president is expected to have a private meeting with the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on September 23, while G.G. The UN is expected to have a meeting with the Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar in order to explore the possibility of a tripartite for the Cyprus issue, although at this time expectations are low.

The agenda of Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Nikos Christodoulidis also includes the rapprochement of Greek-Turkish relations, as well as all international and regional developments in the Middle East and Ukraine, as well as the priorities at the European level after the formation of the new structure of the European Commission, such as arose from the choices of President Ursula von der Leyen.

Electrical interconnection of Greece – Cyprus

The focus of the meeting between the two leaders is expected to be the implementation of the large project of the Greece-Cyprus electrical interconnection, with Athens remaining committed and positive to the said project, which it characterizes as important for Cyprus and the lifting of its energy isolation but also for Europe. The “thorns” of the project, however, seem to remain the financial viability of the project and the fair sharing of costs. “It is a project of great importance, it also has a great cost and, as you understand, the duty of every government is to fight, to claim for the correct distribution of costs. What does cost mean? It means a burden for each state. This is the obligation of a government towards the citizens”, the government representative commented on the project, Pavlos Marinakisto SKAI, giving the stamp of today’s debate between mainly Mitsotakis – Christodoulidis, assuring, however, that the implementation of the project does not impinge on issues of a geopolitical nature, that is, in Turkey.

The way for the progress of the talks on the electrical interconnection between the Greek prime minister and the president of Cyprus was opened by the cabinet in Nicosia, which approved the framework agreement for the project, with special attention to the concerns expressed by the Cypriot side regarding the burden that will arise. At the same time, the Cypriot side took the necessary decisions for the viability of the project so that the next steps can proceed. “I can assure you that if the financial viability of the project is ensured, the project will be done and any geopolitical risks will be overcome,” the Prime Minister had told TIF. Today, however, with no announcements yet expected, the two leaders are expected to seek new guidelines at the political level.