Cyprus: Mitsotakis and Christodoulidis joint statements

“We will not accept, and we cannot accept, the legalization of the fait accompli and the perpetuation of a drama that has been going on for 50 years” was the message of Kyriakos Mitsotakis to Ankara during the joint statements with Nikos Christodoulidis after their meeting at the Presidential Palace in Nicosia.

The mild climate, in its own way, may also favor the resumption of talks on the Cyprus issue. We confidently face the calm waters in the Greek-Turkish… We have no illusions that this improvement in the climate automatically implies a change in Turkey’s positions. But we also remain steadfast. In matters of national sovereignty, international law, the law of the sea, the prime minister pointed out.

“Whoever is strong and has arguments should not hesitate to present them in an honest dialogue,” Mr. Mitsotakis.

“We must not forget that Ankara’s European relations are now examined through the prism of its relations with Greece and Cyprus. We have achieved, Greece and Cyprus, binding decisions of the European Council that form a strict framework of criteria and conditions, which Ankara must fulfill, among them the change of its position on the Cyprus issue. There is favorable momentum for the resumption of talks, after a long period of inactivity with the aim of an agreement, always based on the decisions of the UN Security Council, the prime minister stressed.

Mr. Mitsotakis is in the Cypriot capital for the second Intergovernmental Summit of Greece-Cyprus and for the Tripartite Summit of Greece-Cyprus-Jordan.

Earlier he spoke from the stage of the 2nd Greece-Cyprus Business Forum, referred to the expansion of the cooperation networks between Athens and Nicosia and emphasized the positive course of the Greek economy, which is gaining – as he said – the trust of the international markets.

He also characterized the project of electrical interconnection of Cyprus as of strategic importance, underlining that it will remove the energy isolation of the Megalonisos, while he also noted the joint actions of the two states.

Regarding the Middle East, he observed that “we are struggling to prevent the crisis from becoming a regional flare-up”, welcoming in this context the truce in Lebanon, and expressing hope for a similar development in Gaza.

“Today’s intergovernmentalism is historic”

Historic was described by Mr. Christodoulidis the current intergovernmental meeting between Cyprus and Greece, following the first one, which took place last November in Athens.

14 Ministers of the Mitsotakis Government participate in the inter-governmental meeting, a fact that the president of the Republic of Cyprus pointed out in his statements at their private meeting.

“Both countries had intergovernmental sessions with other states, but we didn’t have with each other and so we came with the decision in 2023 to fill an important gap and the most important thing is that there are results, there are deliverables from these sessions, especially on issues that they touch the everyday life of the citizen”, said the President.

He pointed out that Nicosia has taken expertise from Athens in matters of digital transformation and Cyprus can contribute in the shipping sector, while there are also common
pursuits in matters, for example, concerning the prices of medicines.

He stated that the latest developments in the Cyprus issue will be discussed after the meeting that took place in New York and the regional developments, while he also pointed out the meeting held by Mr. Mitsotakis with the Secretary General of NATO yesterday in Athens.

The joint communiqué of the 2nd Intergovernmental Summit of Greece – Cyprus

The Mitsotakis statement

“Mr. President, my dear Nico, ladies and gentlemen,

I feel special joy every time I visit Cyprus. Thank you on behalf of the large government delegation for the very warm hospitality.

You know very well that our meetings are very frequent, as the two countries align their national aspirations and take a common step on the road to peace, development and prosperity.

However, this 2nd Intergovernmental Summit of Greece – Cyprus let me say that it is a special event. My friend Nikos and I had already set the goal, from our first meetings after his election, to institutionally strengthen this close relationship between Greece and Cyprus, to give it an institutional character by holding these regular Intergovernmental Meetings and allow let me say that these are discussions of substance and not of communication. I would like to thank everyone who worked on their preparation.

I don’t want to repeat everything that Nikos said. Let me turn my attention to some areas that I consider particularly important.

In the field of education, the agreement on the mutual recognition of academic degrees and, of course, to repeat once again that the great opening that Greece is making in terms of higher education, with the possibility of attracting branches of foreign universities, is an initiative that I certainly believe that it will find interest from Cypriot institutions as well.

I want to focus on the health sector. You mentioned the possibility of us being able to make joint purchases of drugs, especially expensive drugs that will put a lot of strain on our health budgets. But I want to make a special mention of the partnerships we make for organ transplants, an initiative that is a beacon of hope for hundreds of patients and their relatives, both here and in Greece.

I want to mention separately our very good cooperation in the field of civil protection, both at an operational level as our countries have faced climate crises, emergency situations, where mutual assistance was needed, but it is a cooperation that also extends to the formulation of a European policy to the issues of adaptation to the climate crisis.

Finally, let me focus in particular on two more areas: in digital governance, where we have made available to the Republic of Cyprus whatever know-how we have managed to develop in matters concerning digital transactions and relations between citizens, businesses and the state, the Greek , the Cypriot. I am particularly happy because you have already adopted some of these initiatives and I believe that you will see immediate results and a very positive reception in Cyprus.

And of course, in terms of energy, the strategic project of the electrical interconnection between Greece and Cyprus. It is a project of strategic importance which will remove the energy isolation of Megalonis and a project which, as you know, also enjoys strong European support.

And of course, in environmental issues, joint actions to deal with issues such as water scarcity. You have an excellent experience in these fields.

These are, only indicatively, some of the priorities we referred to during this very productive meeting we had.

Of course, every time we meet, we also meet the major geopolitical challenges, which primarily concern our wider region. Greece and Cyprus, I would say, are increasingly becoming pillars of security and stability, but they are also gaining a stronger voice in this turbulent Eastern Mediterranean.

I want to express my satisfaction, our satisfaction, that a ceasefire appears to have been reached, which concerns the hostilities in southern Lebanon. Greece and Cyprus, Cyprus and Greece fought and are always fighting so that the crisis that broke out a year ago does not take on the characteristics of a regional flare-up. I think this development is particularly positive and I wish and hope very soon that we will have a corresponding truce in the Gaza Strip as well.

Of course, we obviously also discussed the developments regarding the Cyprus issue. There is a favorable momentum for the resumption of talks after a long period of inactivity. Thanks to the concerted efforts of Nicosia and Athens, we have some signs of progress.

Our constant pursuit of a just and sustainable solution, always based on the decisions of the United Nations Security Council. Let me remind you that Greece will also be a non-permanent member of the Security Council for the two years 2025-2026. It is another opportunity to bring the national rights of the divided, European Cyprus to the international spotlight.

In this context, we confirmed today with President Christodoulidis the absolute alignment of the two governments. We will not accept – I had the opportunity to say so when I was here this summer -, we cannot accept the legalization of what has been donenor of course the perpetuation of a drama which has lasted for 50 years.

The perspective with which we approach them is also common Greek-Turkish relations. We believe that the mild climate that pervades them, in its own way, can also favor the restart of the talks on the Cyprus issue. We certainly know and have no illusions that this improvement in the climate does not automatically imply a change in Turkey’s positions. But, we, in turn, remain steadfast in matters of sovereigntyin matters of compliance with International Law, the Law of the Sea.

Whoever, however, is strong and he has arguments, ladies and gentlemen, my dear Nico, he should not hesitate to present them in an honest dialogue. That is why we face the calm waters in Greek-Turkish with confidence, in the perspective of opening up calm horizons for the wider region. Already, after all, we must not forget that Ankara’s European relations are now examined through the prism of its relations with Greece and Cyprus.

As far as Euro-Turkish relations are concerned, we have now succeeded, with a joint effort, in having binding decisions of the European Council, which essentially form a strict framework of criteria and conditions, which Ankara must fulfill. Among these criteria is the change in its stance on the Cyprus issue.

In conclusion, I would say, my dear Nikos, that today’s Intergovernmental Summit was very useful and productive. It perfectly served its role as the staff center of the coordinated actions of Greece and Cyprus, which is due, as I said, to the methodical work of all the Ministers, all the staffs that participated in its work and of course to the impeccable organization.

Let me once again congratulate the hospitable Cyprus and we look forward to the 3rd Intergovernmental Conference, which, hopefully, will take place next year again in Greece”.