The work dinner given by the Secretary General (C) of the United Nations (UN) was held tonight in Geneva. Antonio Guterres to the places participating in the informal expanded meeting on the Cyprus issue, where the President of the Republic of Cyprus was attended by Mr. Nikos Christodoulidesaccompanied by the negotiator Mr. Menelao Menelau.

The Foreign Minister of Greece also attended the dinner. George GerapetritisTurkey’s Foreign Minister Mr. Hakan Fidanthe Deputy Minister of Europe and North America of the United Kingdom. Steven Doy and the Turkish Cypriot leader Mr. Ersin Tatar.

Following the dinner, held at a hotel in Geneva, a meeting of the National Council was held, chaired by the President of the Republic.

Then, the government spokesman Mr. Konstantinos Letibiotis told reporters: “The National Council was completed by the President of the Republic about the dinner that took place tonight at 19:00. A dinner, which was more of the social nature of the exchange of views, in view of the important bilateral meetings that will take place tomorrow morning, and then the plenary.

It is recalled that tomorrow, at 9:40 pm (10:40 pm), the President of the Republic will have a bilateral meeting with the Undersecretary for Europe and North America of the United Kingdom, while at 10:45 he will have a bilateral meeting with the Secretary -General (C) of the United Nations before the UN.

Concerning tonight’s dinner, the President of the Republic, after the completion of the National Council, as you have been informed, had a telephone conversation with the Greek Prime Minister, and subsequently contacted both the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission, where both expressed her support. European Union (Ee) In our efforts, in the efforts made by the UN Secretary -General to reopen the negotiations. And in this context, the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission sent a joint letter to the UN Secretary -General, with a notification of the President of the Republic and to Mr Tatar, a letter sent at the initiative of the Republic of Cyprus and which, as is easily understood by the Republic of Cyprus, and as it is, as it it contains.

It is essentially an essential EU intervention at a critical moment. And it is, of course, and following the EU’s declared intent to be present at this multilateral conference, but also to play the role it attributes to it, yet another tangible proof that the EU can and wishes to play a role with all its means and at all stages of the process.

Note here the fact that a joint letter from the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission to the UN Secretary -General proves and importance and gravity which these two leading institutions, and consequently and therefore all EU Member States, give the efforts to be resolved in the Cyprus issue.

The most important points contained in this letter, which I repeat, has been received by the UN Secretary -General, are certainly the re -confirmation of the EU’s position, the EU’s commitment to the efforts to reunite Cyprus within the UN Framework, based on the Bi -zonal Bi -Community Federation, according to the Councils of Security.

It is also expressed through the letter, the hope and the expectation that this multilateral conference will bring about further progress and will pave the way to re -opening the negotiations From the point where the EU has been interrupted, the EU expresses its readiness once again to play its role, to contribute actively, but also to further clim its efforts to support the process of the UN Secretary -General, and finally highlights and highlights the Cyprus issue as a European issue. Institutions highlight, but also propose the Cyprus issue in a common letter This has its own importance and its own value.

Tomorrow the meetings will continue, we will come to these meetings both the strong meetings of the President of the Republic, but also to the plenary of the conference with those constructive proposals, with that constructive disposition that we have, and with that sincere political will, so that we can be able to do so.

Asked about the short duration of the President of the Republic with the Turkish Foreign Minister shortly after the dinner, the spokesman said it was a social, short -term conversation after dinner.

Called to clarify, the spokesman said the short stay of the President of the Republic with the Turkish Foreign Minister in the room where the dinner was held “It was social content, as social content was in its entirety.”. And added: “It was not a debate about or was the substance of the discussion.”