President Nikos Christodoulides stressed Monday that he was ready to participate in an expanded meeting on the Cyprus problem this summer. but said the possibility of convening such a meeting depends on Turkey.
“For our part, we are ready, we have expressed our availability to the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres. You understand that everything depends on Turkey’s reaction,” he declared upon his arrival at the Makedonitissa Tomb, a war memorial located west of Nicosia, which he was visiting to mark the anniversary of the Turkish invasion.
He said that “relevant processes continue” both on the side of Guterres and his envoy Maria Angela Holguin, as well as on the side of the European Union, “which proves through actions [that it is undertaking] a more important role.
“We hope that when the Secretary General is here there will be positive announcements“, he said, before adding that Guterres has “launched a very important effort since March”.
This effort, he said, was undertaken “based on some discussions he had with the Turkish president.” [Recep Tayyip Erdogan]with the Turkish government, and we hope to see this in practice.”
Asked whether “pressure” on Turkey had intensified in recent months, he replied that “it is not a question of pressure”. before adding that Holguin will visit Turkey before his next return to Cyprus, “and based on the results of all these efforts, we will see what will come out of the presence of the Secretary General.”
Regarding the possible upcoming visit to Cyprus by European envoy Raffaele Fitto, he said: “I do not exclude that, given his schedule, he could visit Cyprus at any time.”
“We welcome this increased involvement on the part of the European Union. This was something we were looking for from the first day we took over the country.. Appointment of an executive vice president of the commission reflects increased interest in the president of the commission [Ursula von der Leyen]That’s part of it,” he said.
To this end, he said that “the presence of the European Union is decisive in two respects”, because firstly, “the developments in the context of relations between Turkey and Europe, which Turkey also wants, must pass through positive and specific developments regarding the resolution of the Cyprus problem”.
Secondly, he added, it is “necessary that any possible solution to the Cyprus problem is consistent with the European Community acquis, the principles and values of the European Union”.
“The Republic of Cyprus is a member state. This will be the case even after a possible solution. The European Union therefore has a role to play.“, he said.
Asked about Erdogan’s decision not to travel to Cyprus for this year’s July 20 commemorations, he said the decision “changes nothing.”
“Erdogan will not come. Someone else will come to represent Erdogan, perhaps the vice president or a minister.. I don’t know at the moment, but nothing has changed from the crimes committed by Turkey here in Cyprus for 52 years,” he said.
Speaking of the day itself, Christodoulides said that “today is a difficult day, and certainly not for many words”.
“What I would like to say is that our heroes here at the tomb of Makedonitissa, but also wherever they lie in Cyprus, in the prisons, in all regions of free and occupied Cyprus, define the duty, the responsibility of all of us who are currently at the helm of this country,” he said.
He added that those in positions of power must “do everything possible to end the Turkish occupation, liberate our country, unite our homeland“.
“It will also be a memorial service for all those who sacrificed so that we could exist today, and in this direction, we are working systematically on the basis of a very specific plan and design, so that we can realize our number one priority, which is the end of the occupation, the liberation and the reunification of our homeland,” he said.
