Nicosia is taking steps at the European and the international level to promote Cyprus President, Nikos Christodoulides’ proposal for a more active involvement of the EU in efforts to break the deadlock in the Cyprus problem and to prepare the ground towards this end.

According to diplomatic sources, Christodoulides’ aim is for his proposal to be able to implemented once the elections in Turkey and Greece take place.

After the conclusion of Christodoulides’ official visit to Greece, the same sourses noted that Nicosia’s aim is to prepare the ground in view of the forthcoming elections in Greece and Turkey, securing the support of EU member states and EU institutions.

Focus will be placed on countries with particular significance such as France and Germany, the sources said, noting that Christodoulides will have a bilateral meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron on the sidelines of the European Council taking place in March and the will for Christodoulides to pay visits to Paris – where he has already been invited by Macron – and to Berlin.

President Christodoulides will seek to do the same thing also with the UN and the US, the same sources added.

As regards the official visit to Greece they noted that it was of great significance with tangible results, adding that the response of the Greek government and the parliamentary parties as to the need for a more active engagement of the EU to efforts aiming at lifting the deadlock was very positive.

According to the diplomatic sources, the creation of a Council for Cooperation between the Councils of Ministers of the two countries is of particular significance.

As the sources noted it is inconceivable that Greece has established such meetings with various countries including Turkey but not with the Republic of Cyprus so far.

The same instrument, they added, was also created recently between Cyprus and Egypt, when Christodoulides was the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and had concrete positive results in many areas beyond the traditional political issues and therefore helped very much in fields as the economy, trade, agriculture and others.

The same sources underlined that Nicosia intends to try to set up such instruments with other like-minded states in Europe and the region.

They also noted that this began and continues until today to be implemented successfully between France and Germany.

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: Parikiaki.com