The US Vice President Mike Pence underscored during his meeting with the Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras the continued US support for a comprehensive settlement to reunify Cyprus as a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation.
He also welcomed Greece`s increasing cooperation with Israel, Cyprus, and Egypt in the Eastern Mediterranean, a White House spokesperson said in a written statement after the meeting which Pence and Tsipras had in Washington.
According to the statement, Pence and Tsipras highlighted the strong and enduring ties between the United States and Greece. The Vice President congratulated Prime Minister Tsipras on Greece`s return to economic growth and financial markets, encouraged further reforms to spur investment, and reiterated US support for credible debt relief, the spokesperson added.
Furthermore he said that the leaders expressed their desire to deepen cooperation in the economic and security spheres, including the visit of a high-level delegation to the 2018 Thessaloniki International Fair, where the United States will be the honoured country.
“The Vice President expressed appreciation for Greece`s role as a pillar of stability in the region, and the leaders reaffirmed their support for the Euro-Atlantic integration of Turkey and the countries of the Western Balkans. The Vice President underscored continued US support for a comprehensive settlement to reunify Cyprus as a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation and welcomed Greece`s increasing cooperation with Israel, Cyprus, and Egypt in the eastern Mediterranean,” he continued.
The Cyprus problem was put forward during the meeting by the Greek side, who informed Pence in brief about the latest developments, reiterating the importance of returning to the negotiating table with a view to achieving a solution based on UN Security Council resolutions. The US officials also stressed the need for the resumption of the negotiations, however the discussion did not enter into any details.
With regard to Turkey, the Greek side reiterated its support to the country`s European course, noting at the same time that Ankara`s provocations in the Aegean Sea do not abide with its European orientation. In connection with this, the Greek side handed over to the US side a dossier including all the Turkish aeronautical violations since 2013.
A diplomatic source said that the US is concerned at all levels by the developments in Turkey and its political choices at the geopolitical level, noting that Greece`s geopolitical role is even more important. The Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias, who attended the meeting, informed about his forthcoming visit to Turkey.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. The latest round of UN-backed negotiations, in Crans Montana, Switzerland, ended inconclusively at the beginning of July 2017.
