Press Releases

The President of the Republic, Mr Nicos Anastasiades, attended today a luncheon hosted by the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU.

Speaking at the event, President Anastasiades congratulated Bulgaria for a successful, results-oriented Presidency, noting that the Bulgarian Presidency advanced its priorities on Youth, the Future of Europe and Digital Economy.

President Anastasiades said also, among other things, that “we are determined to continue contributing to the promotion of regional cooperation and to the efforts to achieve peace, stability, security and prosperity in the wider region of the eastern Mediterranean.          

The discovery of hydrocarbons as well as the prospects for more new promising discoveries in the Eastern Mediterranean region could become a tool of cooperation and synergies that would create an economy of scales, an inviting environment for companies and investors.”

Referring to the efforts to achieve stability in the region of Eastern Mediterranean the President said that “I strongly believe in the potential of these trilateral mechanisms. They create avenues for cooperation and dialogue in our region, emerging as an important communication tool in EU’s toolbox in its interaction with these countries.

This trilateral cooperation is neither exclusive, nor directed against any third country. On the contrary, they are instruments for promoting cooperation, particularly in areas where there is a comparative advantage, including expanding the trilateral format to bringing in additional partners in specific fields.”

Referring to the Cyprus problem, the President noted that “I remain strongly and truly committed to negotiate a solution within the six-point framework that the Secretary General has set as a basis for discussions, the relevant UN Resolutions and the EU values and principles. I am ready and confident for the resumption of negotiations in good faith and spirit. 

In this respect, I hope that the pending arrival of a special envoy of the UN Secretary General will soon take place, so as to assess, through consultations with all relevant parties, if the necessary conditions for the resumption of the process are in place. Hence, it is of utmost importance that all sides refrain from any further actions which will negatively affect the prospect of resuming negotiations.”

Addressing the EU Ambassadors attending the luncheon, the President said that “you are representing our closest partners in Europe and I consider you as valuable friends with a mission of positively contributing to the efforts for reunification.

Status quo, divisionist or non-functional solutions, are not acceptable not only because they are not fair but more importantly because they will add to, instead of solving, the problem.”

He also pointed out that “Turkey must allow the Cypriots to negotiate and reach a settlement for Cyprus to be able to continue reunited in the path of prosperity, in peace and security.”

Concluding, the President said that “Geography is destiny, and our destiny includes Turkey as a neighbor and as a country which invaded and by force has taken more than 1/3 of our territory. The consequences of this situation dramatically affect both Greek and Turkish Cypriots and seriously limit the prospects of this island.

Therefore, reunification is not a choice. It is the one-way road that will lead us to prosperity since it will unwrap the full potentials of our island.” 

(RM/MG/II)