President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides can pay an official go to to Lebanon along with President of the European Fee, Ursula von der Leyen, on Thursday, 2 Might, Christodoulides introduced upon his arrival on the European Council assembly in Brussels on Wednesday afternoon. The primary day of the summit was attributable to concentrate on the state of affairs within the Center East and on a strategic dialogue on EU – Turkey relations.
Relating to Lebanon, Christodoulides mentioned that the state of affairs within the nation and the necessity for assist could be mentioned within the context of the state of affairs within the Center East, whereas he added that in session with different member states, Cyprus will elevate the difficulty of the necessity to reassess sure areas of Syria as protected within the context of immigration.
On EU – Turkey relations, the President famous that this dialogue was one thing that Cyprus had been pursuing for a very long time, and that the timing was necessary given the efforts being made by the UN Secretary Common to renew Cyprus reunification talks.
He careworn that every one leaders perceive the significance that progress on the Cyprus drawback has for EU – Turkey relations to maneuver ahead, and underlined that the intention is to ship a constructive message to Turkey, however that progress depends upon Turkey’s behaviour on the negotiating desk.
Center East and Lebanon
Talking in regards to the Center East, the President expressed the hope “that there will probably be no additional deterioration of the state of affairs, which impacts not solely neighbouring states, not solely the Republic of Cyprus, however your complete European Union”. On this context, he mentioned, the necessity to assist Lebanon can even be mentioned.
“The President of the Fee has simply knowledgeable me that we are going to collectively go to Lebanon on 2 Might,” he added.
Moreover he mentioned that “within the context of discussing the results of the state of affairs within the Center East, we should additionally contact on the difficulty of migration”.
Cyprus, he continued, “along with different member states” will “elevate the difficulty of reassessment, to begin the dialogue on reassessing sure areas as protected areas inside Syria.”
Relating to whether or not a complete assist package deal for Lebanon is being mentioned, Christodoulides mentioned that that is one thing he has mentioned with Von der Leyen throughout their current assembly in Athens, and that he then went to Lebanon the place he briefed the federal government of the nation.
He added that on Friday the French President will host the Lebanese Prime Minister and the pinnacle of the nation’s armed forces in Paris, “in an effort that’s being made consciously by the European Union to handle the challenges that Lebanon faces and, by extension, any issues, resembling migration, that the Republic of Cyprus has to take care of”.
This dialogue, he reiterated, is in “direct connection” with “the necessity to begin the dialogue to outline some areas in Syria, on the idea of actual details, as protected areas”.
Commenting extra broadly on the continuing debate on the Center East and the EU’s name for restraint by all events, the President careworn that “it is a matter the place we can’t have totally different approaches”.
Significantly on the Center East, the President careworn that “any actions to additional escalate the disaster needs to be prevented”, and {that a} approach needs to be discovered to restart the negotiation course of.
Lastly, with regard to humanitarian wants within the Gaza Strip, he expressed the hope that “quickly, with the completion of the work on the a part of the US authorities in Gaza, the supply of humanitarian help via the initiative of the Republic of Cyprus will resume”.
EU – Turkey relations
Talking about relations between the EU and Turkey, Christodoulides mentioned that he considers it “notably necessary” that the leaders “will lastly have a strategic dialogue on the European Union’s relations with Turkey”.
“It was one thing we have now been in search of for a very long time,” he famous, including that “the timing is necessary, taking into consideration the UN Secretary Common’s efforts to renew talks.”
“The Cyprus drawback is linked to the progress of EU – Turkey relations,” he continued, expressing the hope that “via the dialogue, the constructive stance on the a part of the European Union of member states, together with our personal constructive stance will probably be conveyed.”
“A constructive stance, the event of which is able to rely completely on progress on the Cyprus challenge and I’m glad that there’s a particular reference within the draft to the Cyprus challenge, to the difficulty of the resumption of talks,” he added.
The President mentioned that following the appointment of the UN Secretary Common’s private envoy “there may be mobility” and that Maria Angela Holguin will go to EU states in addition to Brussels after which will probably be in Cyprus. “We have now already organized two conferences with Ms. Holguin” he added.
Responding to a query whether or not the remainder of the EU nations agree on the necessity to hyperlink EU – Turkey relations with the Cyprus drawback, Christodoulides mentioned that “from the dialogue that came about, everybody understands the significance of progress on the Cyprus drawback to ensure that EU – Turkey relations to maneuver ahead.”
He famous that discussions on the conclusions had been on a 3rd or fourth draft “which is able to come earlier than the heads of state, and we’ll do every part potential to realize a constructive final result”.
“Whether or not Turkey needs it or not, EU – Turkey relations additionally cross via the Cyprus drawback,” he careworn. “We’re right here to provide, I repeat from the start, a constructive message, the progress of which depends upon Turkey’s behaviour on the negotiating desk.”
Supply: CNA
