?he European Council conclusions on the Cyprus issue are “a first important step” towards the effort for the resumption of talks, Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides said on Friday. In statements, after the conclusion of the European Council in Brussels, the Cypriot President also referred to the failure to reach an agreement on immigration, noting that it would be important for front-line states such as Cyprus. He stressed that despite the disagreement, what was agreed at the level of Ministers of the Interior for the new immigration package, continue to apply. Referring to the conclusions regarding the Cyprus issue, he underlined that “I believe that through the conclusions a first important step was taken” which “came through our own initiatives”, adding that the most important element was the “recognition on the part of our partners of the readiness to resume substantive talks.” He said that it is important that there was a connection in the conclusions with the EU-Turkey references, noting that this is his own approach. In his intervention today at the summit, he added, before the approval of the relevant chapter, he informed EU leaders about his contacts with the UN Secretary General and the contacts and personal meetings either in Cyprus or New York about the steps towards this effort and “how can there be a synchronisation of the United Nations, the European Union, and even NATO.’ President Christodoulides also said that in his intervention at the working lunch with the Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg, he noted that although the issue of Sweden is the one that will dominate discussions in Lithuania and the NATO Summit, he asked that during the meetings that will take place with the Turkish President they send the clear message about the need for resumption of Cyprus talks. He added that in his intervention he pointed out that a solution to the Cyprus problem “will also bring Turkey closer to the European Union, closer to the West and even closer to NATO,” and he expressed satisfaction for the interventions made by countries which “traditionally did not show a special interest in the Cyprus issue.” He referred to the intervention of the Dutch Prime Minister and leaders from Austria, Luxembourg and Slovenia after his briefing. Regarding the EU leaders’ positions on the proposal for an EU representative, President Christodoulides underlined that “no member state was opposed to this proposal” and that they see its added value. This is an effort, he added, that will be coordinated with the contacts that will be made with the Turkish side on the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Lithuania. He said that he has already been informed by several leaders who will be in Lithuania about the telephone contacts they had with the Turkish President. Replying to other questions, he noted that the leaders with whom he had contacts and spoke with Tayyip Erdogan, “see a window of opportunity which we want to see transform into a resumption of talks,” as there is readiness to strengthen the EU-Turkey relations “which also goes through the resumption and progress of the talks regarding the Cyprus issue.” The President stressed that the reference to EU involvement refers to all stages of the process, especially now that the goal is to break the deadlock. Asked whether the paragraph on the EU -Turkey ties proposed by Germany mainly concerns immigration, he noted that there was no specific discussion on immigration in relation to Turkey, but that the specific paragraph was the subject of consultation between Cyprus, Germany, Greece and the institutions. There were some interventions concerning the EU-Turkey relations due to the conclusions, but not on the dimension of immigration, he noted. Asked if he is ready to participate in a tripartite meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York with the UN Secretary General and the Turkish Cypriot leader, he said that he is ready, and that he believes that the coordination of efforts that are being made “started to bring positive results.” The President was also asked about the construction of houses in Turkish occupied Deryneia, saying that the implementation of this decision “will make the efforts to resolve the Cyprus issue even more difficult.” He added that only through the solution of the Cyprus issue will further actions be avoided, as the passage of time creates more obstacles through the existence and creation of more faits accomplis. Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.
Source: Cyprus News Agency