The will and readiness of the Greek Cypriot side to return to talks on the Cyprus problem is undeniable, Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou said on Saturday during his address at the 23rd Morphou Festival.
According to Ioannou, this year marks 49 years away from the villages and the town of Morphou, adding that "the difficulties and obstacles posed by Turkey continue to hinder the resumption of negotiations, despite the political will and determination shown by the Greek Cypriot side."
"Through a series of initiatives that the President of the Republic has been developing since taking office, we are seeking a return to the dialogue table as soon as possible, on the basis of the agreed framework and with respect to the principles and values of the European Union and international law", the Minister stressed, adding that the contacts that President Christodoulides is having both within the European family and with Cyprus' international partners, aim to strengthen the effort to resume talks and find a viable and workable solution, in accordance with the UN Resolutions and European Law.
"President Christodoulides' aim is for the European Union to become more actively involved in the effort to break the deadlock caused by Turkish intransigence, within the framework of the UN Security Council Resolutions", he noted, adding that by acting in a complementary and supplementary manner and by using its economic and political tools, the European Union can ensure that there will be concrete results that will lead to the resumption of the talks and the final settlement of the Cyprus problem.
"The will and readiness of the Greek Cypriot side to return to the talks is undeniable. We are working tirelessly and methodically, with our main goal being to reach a solution that will allow us to live in security and peace in our beloved Morphou, Kyrenia, Famagusta and Messaoria", concluded Ioannou.
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