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The present Conference will prove to be of decisive importance in the further course our countries will follow together, the President of the Republic Mr Nicos Anastasiades said today, following the deliberations of the leaders of the seven Southern European Union states held today afternoon in Nicosia.

In his remarks to the Media, after the Summit, President Anastasiades said, among other things, that «today's Meeting could not have been more timely given the challenges that the Union is facing. I have no doubt that the present Conference will prove to be of decisive importance in the further course our countries will follow together.

Among the issues that have been discussed in depth are the migration challenges, the reform of the Eurozone, the energy security of the European Union and climate change.

I express my special satisfaction with the content of the Nicosia Proclamation that we have adopted.

On the critical issue of migration, there was a unanimous position that collective effort, cooperation, unity and in particular solidarity, are required.

I am completely satisfied that the Nicosia Declaration inscribes objectively the problems in question, pointing out also the need for Turkey to fulfill all its obligations toward Cyprus, including cooperation as well as effective and implementation of the Readmission Agreement with the European Union, without discriminations.

With regard to the Banking Union and the Eurozone Reform, we repeated out willingness for more deepening of the Economic and Monetary Union, and the quick implementation of the decisions we took at the Euro Summit Conference last December.

Climate Change was also an equally important issue discussed, especially given the most negative repercussions that the Mediterranean is already facing.

In view of the imminent signing of the relevant interstate agreement, we of course stressed the necessity to push forward the "EastMed" pipeline for the transfer of natural gas, and underlined the decisive contribution that this pipeline will have on the energy security that is sought and on the diversification of the energy sources and supply corridors of the Union.

I had the opportunity, during the discussion of this issue, to express my warm thanks to our friends, the Leaders, for the support and solidarity they have been demonstrating over the years to the Republic of Cyprus, in the course of the exercise of its sovereign rights with regard to the exploration and exploitation of the natural resources within its Exclusive Economic Zone.

I briefed my colleagues on the latest developments on the Cyprus problem, reiterating my given and full support for the efforts of the UN Secretary General and his Special Envoy, for the resumption of the talks on the basis of the agreed upon framework and the terms of reference that are being formulated.

As I explained to our friends, our colleagues, what we look forward to is to achieve a solution that will be functional so that it will be viable, always on the basis of the Resolutions of the Security Council of the United Nations. A solution that will create a functional state within the Union, with full respect for the European principles and values, for the benefit of all the people, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.

We agreed that the European Union, by itself, is a guarantee for prosperity and security on which all Cypriots can depend. And I want to repeat, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.

In the Nicosia Declaration also inscribed is support for positions of principle of the Union with regard to the immediate need for Turkey, in the framework of the accession process, to implement all its obligations related to Cyprus».

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