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President: Ongoing technocratic discussions with Germany on EU-Turkey relations’ text

Consultations at a technocratic level with Germany, for a possible reference text on EU-Turkey relations, which may be included in the Conclusions of this or the next European Council (EUCO), were ongoing, according to Cyprus President, Nikos Christodoulides, who made statements upon his arrival at the European Council on Friday morning.

The President also welcomed the inclusion of a reference to the Cypriot initiative for a sea corridor to Gaza in EUCO’s conclusions on the Middle East, adopted on Thursday evening.

He also referred to his meeting on Thursday with UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, with whom, he said, they discussed specific next steps on the Cyprus issue. In this context, President Christodoulides, expressed hope that there would be developments within April, which would help shed light on how close a possible resumption of talks was.

Asked by the CNA as to what stage the discussion that started after Germany’s proposal for inclusion in the conclusions of a paragraph on EU-Turkey rel
ations, was, President Christodoulides said that the consultations were continuing, now at a technocratic level.

He referred to his meeting on Thursday with the German Chancellor and the President of the European Council, and said that, consultations were now at a technocratic level.

President Christodoulides said that he also spoke again with the German Chancellor later on Thursday and added that ‘these discussions will continue today and we hope there will be a positive outcome’.

‘We, more than any other member state, want to see positive developments in the EU-Turkey relations’, he noted. ‘Positive developments’, he added, ‘which also go through the Cyprus problem, through a step-by-step approach, if you like, an approach, which also goes through a strengthened role of the European Union’. President Christodoulides said that the EU ‘has the tools’ that could lead to ‘a mutually beneficial state of affairs’.

He referred to Germany’s role in the appointment of the personal envoy of the Secretary-General,
and said that he thanked the German Chancellor ‘for the increased interest he is showing in the Cyprus issue.’

Asked to comment on whether there was a text, President Christodoulides said that, they have been discussing specifically since last night also a specific text ‘at the level of the two’, noting that there was also interest from other member states. ‘So, in case there is a common approach between us’, possibly something will be put before the European Council, he said.

He noted that, on Thursday, he was also approached by other heads of state, such as the French President ‘who is interested in both the EU-Turkey relations and the Cyprus issue’ and who asked to be informed about the consultations with Germany.

‘Let’s see how things will evolve today’ and whether there will be something on the table or if this will happen in a next Council, President Christodoulides said, noting that there will be a EUCO also in April.

In his statements, President Christodoulides, welcomed yesterday’s inclusion in t
he conclusions of the European Council of the Cypriot initiative for the humanitarian corridor in Gaza, stressing that he considers ‘particularly important the fact that the effort of the Republic of Cyprus is recognised’, not only in the conclusions, but also in the interventions made during the discussion.

‘All the heads of state welcomed our country’s initiative and I think this is a particularly positive development’, as it highlights the country’s role in the region, he added.

This was something to which, he said, the UNSG himself referred in his intervention, but also in the private meeting they had, adding that he expects even more support from the partners as regards the initiative.

Regarding his discussion with Guterres, President Christodoulides said it was ‘a very good meeting’.

‘We know the difficulties, the problems, the challenges, but we also discussed specific next steps and I hope that soon, within April, there will be some developments. Developments which will help to see how close we ar
e to resuming talks from where they were interrupted in Crans Montana’, he said.

Commenting on the issue of security and defence for which conclusions were also reached on Thursday, President Christodoulides spoke of an important development and expressed his satisfaction ‘also for the announcement of the President of the Commission that in the event of her re-election she will also proceed with the appointment of a Commissioner for Defence.’

‘It is an area that is part of the wider framework of the strategic autonomy of the European Union’, he said, noting that this is an issue Cyprus supports, ‘and I am happy because yesterday there was a general consensus on the need for the European Union to go even further in matters of defence and security, for all states to invest more’, but also ‘to strengthen the European defence industry even more’.

He said that, if the EU wants to have a geopolitical role, this goes through ‘a strong will as well as political actions’ to strengthen the sector of defence and secu
rity.

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.

In January, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres appointed María Ángela Holguín Cuéllar of Colombia as his personal envoy for Cyprus, to assume a Good Offices role on his behalf and search for common ground on the way forward in the Cyprus issue.

Source: Cyprus News Agency