Ursula von der Leyen expressed the EU’s commitment to the process of resolving the Cyprus issue and its desire for the Union to play an active role in this direction.

The position was conveyed to the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides during a phone conversation on Saturday with von der Leyen.

Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said in a written statement that the conversation was a continuation of discussions that took place during the recent European Council Summit in Brussels.

The conversation centered on developments in the Cyprus issue, in light of the anticipated convening of a multilateral conference, as well as EU-Turkey relations.

The President of the Republic reiterated to von der Leyen “our side’s readiness to resume negotiations as soon as possible from where they were interrupted, based on the agreed framework”. He also emphasised the “crucial role the EU can play in the process of solving the Cyprus issue, which remains primarily a European problem.”

They also discussed matters related to EU-Turkey relations, stressing that one of Turkey’s key obligations towards the EU also includes its obligations towards the Republic of Cyprus as a member state of the Union.

In this context, they also reiterated the importance of the Conclusions of the European Council from last April.

For her part, von der Leyen emphasised the “EU’s commitment to the process of resolving the Cyprus issue and its desire for the Union to play an active role in this direction.”

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.

On October 15, 2024, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres hosted an informal dinner with Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar in New York, encouraging “the leaders to consider how to bridge the gap in their positions and rebuild trust to allow movement leading to a settlement.”

At the meeting, President Christodoulides and Tatar agreed to have an informal meeting in a broader format in the near future, under the auspices of the Secretary-General, to discuss the way forward. They also agreed to have a meeting in Cyprus to explore the possibility of opening new crossing points, which is still pending.

Source: Parikiaki.com