Cyprus issue is a European issue, European Council President Antonio Costa told UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres during a telephone conversation, competent sources have said.
According to the sources, Costa briefed President Nikos Christodoulides about the telephone conversation he had with Guterres during a call they had earlier on Monday.
President Christodoulides had telephone calls with both European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Costa following a meeting of the National Council in Geneva on Monday morning. During those conversations both EU officials expressed the EU support it the efforts President Christodoulides is undertaking for the resumption of Cyprus talks as well as EU readiness to contribute to these efforts.
Costa briefed President Christodoulides about a telephone communication he had with the UNSG, the same sources said, during which he told Guterres that the Cyprus issue is a European issue and that the EU is fully committed to a comprehensive settlement of the problem, in the UN framework for a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality, in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions and the principles on which the EU is based on and the acquis.
Turkey, must act in line with the UN Security Council framework, Costa is said to have told the UNSG and that the EU is not going to accept the position for a so called “two states solution.”
A stable and secure environment in the Eastern Mediterranean constitutes part of the EU’s strategic interest as is certainly a stable, independent, peaceful and fully functional Cyprus, as an EU member, the European official told Guterres, according to the sources.
He is said to have added that the EU remains committed to a mutually beneficial relationship with Turkey and Ankara’s commitment on the Cyprus problem and the Republic of Cyprus constitutes an integral element of EU – Turkey relations.
Costa is also said to have told Guterres that the EU must be present and to be in a position to offer its support at all stages of the process under UN leadership.
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 due to Turkish intransigence. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced an expanded meeting, in Geneva, on March 17 and 18, to exchange views with the Cyprus President and the Turkish Cypriot leader on ways of achieving progress on the Cyprus issue, following their informal dinner on October 15, 2024, in New York. The meeting kicked off with a dinner on Monday hosted by Guterres for the heads of the delegations.
Also read: EU Council and Commission send joint letter to UNSG on Cyprus
Source: CNA
