Nicosia praises Euro-Turkish relations linked to Cyprob
The extraordinary European Council in Brussels reaffirmed its full commitment to a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem within the framework of the United Nations and in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council.
According to government spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis, who made statements after the end of the Council in the early hours of Thursday, “the government has achieved its goal of linking Euro-Turkish relations with the Cyprus problem.”
The European Council also welcomed the appointment of the UN Secretary-General’s personal envoy for Cyprus, Maria Angela Holguin.
“It is important to resume the Cyprus settlement talks and make progress. The EU is ready to play an active role in supporting the UN-led process in that regard,” the President of the European Council said on X.
The message that the EU sent to Turkey is that if the country will engage actively and constructively in the Cyprus talks, there will be corresponding progress in Euro-Turkish relations.
“The European Council sent a powerful message, urging Turkey to operate constructively so that progress on Cyprus can to progress in Euro-Turkish relations,” Letymbiotis said on Trito on Thursday.
He described paragraphs 9 and 10 of the Conclusions, which underscore the EU’s significant emphasis on progress in Cyprus, as important.
Regarding the referral of the strategic discussion of Euro-Turkish relations to the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER), Letymbiotis said that the specific issue was also among the proposals Nicosia made during the Council.
“With this development, all member states will have a say in the progress of Euro-Turkish relations,” he said.
Referring to the visit President Nikos Christodoulides and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen will pay to Lebanon on May 2, the spokesperson stressed that the focus of the discussions will be on the package of additional economic support for Lebanon.
“The details of the support package are still under discussion,” he said. “However, I am confident that by the time of the visit, progress will have been made on this issue so that the President von der Leyen can provide relevant information to the leadership of Lebanon.”