Developments in Israel prove that there are no frozen conflicts, President of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides said on Sunday, while underlining that this in another indication for the necessity to solve the Cyprus problem the soonest possible.
In statements in Astromeritis, following an annual anti-occupation event by Morphou Municipality, the President condemned once more the attacks against Israel and reiterated the support of the Republic of Cyprus.
Asked about Cypriot citizens who are living in Israel or were visiting during the attacks that started early on Saturday with the launch of rockets against the country and the infiltration of Hamas from Gaza to Israel, the President said that the Foreign Ministry is on stand by to transfer to Cyprus all those who wish to come back.
He also said that apart from Israel, Nicosia is in contact with other neighbouring countries, including Egypt and some Gulf countries, noting that what happens in Israel has to do with the broader region and is probably related to the effort that was underway to fully normalise relations between the region’s countries.
President Christodoulides expressed concern and said that this crisis has definitely an impact on Cyprus.
‘There is no such thing as, what some call on an international level, a frozen crisis, a frozen conflict, and the proof for that is what is happening in Israel since yesterday’ President Christodoulides said and referred to the necessity to solve the Cyprus problem.
‘This state of play we are currently in offers absolutely no security whatsoever and we must do whatever possible – and this is what I am going to do on our part – in order to go towards a Cyprus settlement on the basis of the agreed framework’ the President said.
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