Berlin: Key issues concerning Cyprus are set to be included in the European People’s Party’s (EPP) 2025 priorities document, driven by an initiative from Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides.
According to Cyprus News Agency, President Christodoulides is currently in Berlin to participate in the informal EPP congress. The draft priorities document, which is scheduled for discussion on Friday evening, is expected to highlight the urgent necessity to restart negotiations aimed at ending Turkey’s occupation of Cyprus. Furthermore, it is anticipated to firmly oppose Turkey’s rhetoric promoting a two-state solution for the island, emphasizing that such proposals are unacceptable to both Europe and the international community.
The document is also anticipated to address the notable decrease in migration flows from Lebanon to Cyprus. This reduction is attributed to coordinated efforts by the Cypriot government in collaboration with the European Commission.
As the congress, which concludes on Saturday, progresses, President Christodoulides is expected to engage in bilateral meetings with European leaders and EU institution heads affiliated with the EPP.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, following Turkey’s invasion and occupation of its northern third. Despite numerous rounds of UN-led peace talks, no resolution has been achieved. The most recent negotiations, held in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana, ended without conclusion.