THE Germany supports a bi-zonal, bi-communal solution to the political issue of Cyprus, based on the parameters of the United Nations, Federal President Frank-Walter emphasized Steinmeier from Cyprus and warned Turkey that its stance on the Cyprus issue also affects its approach to Europe.

“The solution lies in Ankara”, noted the President of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulidis.

“Cyprus is for us and for the whole of Europe a safe harbor in the eastern Mediterranean,” said Mr. Steinmeier during the press conference that followed the one-on-one meeting of the two leaders and the extended talks of the delegations, in the first visit German President in the Republic of Cyprus.

“I mean that literally,” he continued, referring to Cyprus’ role after the Hamas attack on Israel, when Germany also sent troops to the island in preparation for an emergency evacuation from the Middle East.

Regarding the Cyprus issue, Nikos Christodoulidis stated that the EU can play a more active role and emphasized that Nicosia is an ardent supporter of closer EU-Turkey relations, which go through the developments and the resolution of the Cyprus issue. The Cypriot president also referred to the role of Berlin: “Our message is that the solution lies in Ankara. Germany is an EU member state that maintains excellent relations with Turkey”, emphasized Mr. Christodoulidis, repeating that Nicosia is the last divided capital in Europe.

“It is time to work with new courage for one solution in the Cypriot problem and I warmly welcome the fact that President Christodoulidis is making progress a priority,” said Frank-Walter Steinmeier for his part, adding that “in Germany, we are available to support the UN-led negotiation process and promote confidence building measures’.

He even encouraged all the parties involved to show the necessary readiness for compromise and underlined that the EU member states must send the message to Ankara that its behavior regarding the solution of the Cyprus issue also affects other issues, such as its approach with the Europe. Mr Steinmeier also referred to the German government’s recent decision to send police officers to support the work of the United Nations for the first time, and welcomed the appointment of former Colombian foreign minister Maria Ángela Hologín Cuéllar as the secretary-general’s special envoy. UN for the Cyprus issue.

Referring to the upcoming elections for the European Parliament, the German president called on European citizens “to go and vote, to vote for parties that are in favor of Europe and offer solutions to the challenges we face as Europeans.” Times, he added, are too difficult “to leave our fate in the hands of populists and anti-democratic forces”.

Immigration was also on the agenda of the talks, as Cyprus has received the most asylum applications in the EU in recent years, in relation to the population. Nikos Christodoulidis especially thanked Mr. Steinmeier for the fact that last year Germany accepted more than 1000 immigrants who had arrived in Cyprus. As part of his visit, the German president, who today spoke of a “great challenge” facing the country, will go tomorrow to the Immigrant Reception Center in Kofinou, where he will be informed by the Minister of the Interior of the Republic of Cyprus, Konstantinos Ioannou.

As regards the war in Ukraine, Nikos Christodoulidis reiterated the “principled position that Nicosia has maintained from the first moment”, that “respect for international law, the territorial sovereignty of any country is not a matter for discussion”.