Cyprus president, Nikos Christodoulides, expressed on Thursday his wish for the European Union to be more directly involved in the efforts to end the decades-old division of the island, according to Reuters.
After being split in two parts following a Turkish invasion in 1974, the enduring situation is a source of friction between NATO allies Greece and Turkey. The Turkish side has consistently desired to maintain a certain distance from EU participation in peace negotiations.
Speaking after a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin, Christodoulides said: “The Republic of Cyprus is a European Union member state, the Cyprus problem is a European problem, and its resolution directly affects the European Union.”
“In the current geopolitical environment, following the Russian invasion in Ukraine, the European Union can – and must – contribute decisively in the restart of talks, always within the United Nations framework,” he continued.
A Greek Cypriot government represents the whole island in the EU, while the Turkish Cypriot state in the north part is recognised only by Ankara. The last round of peace talks between the two sides collapsed in 2017.
Christodoulides said the EU had the “tools and the incentives that could lead to a mutually-agreed solution for the Cypriot people, Greek and Turkish Cypriots, for Turkey, for the European Union.”
Source: reuters.com
