Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades has stressed that the effort for solution and reunification of Cyprus and its people constitutes for him a top obligation.

Addressing an event in Larnaca, President Anastasiades said that in order to put an end to the Turkish occupation and to reunify Cyprus “it is necessary to complete the great effort to reach a solution of the Cyprus problem.”

“Our effort has been tremendous and as a result we reached the Crans – Montana Conference, during which we put forward for the first time the
fundamental issues of anachronistic guarantees, of intervention rights and of the withdrawal of occupying troops,” he added.

President Anastasiades continued pointing out that the conference’s outcomes were disappointing but assured that “we will not give up our efforts.”

“I have already informed the UN Secretary General, the EU, the five UN Security Council permanent members and the entire international community that I stand ready at any moment to return to the negotiating table as regards the pending divergences as regards the internal aspects of the Cypriot problem,” he said.

At the same time, he noted that he has stressed that a conference on Cyprus should be very well prepared so that we can overcome existing problems and outdated perceptions.

I would like to believe that everyone’s efforts will be successful so that we can have a happy ending to the dialogue I hope will take place with the help of the United Nations, but I will be waiting for a positive reaction on the part of the Turkish Cypriot and the Turkish side, he concluded.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. The latest round of UN-peace talks at the Swiss resort of Crans – Montana ended without an agreement. Talks held under the auspices of the UN aim at reunifying Cyprus under a federal roof.