Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades said on Monday he is not intending to enter into talks for the solution of the Cyprus problem that would lead to trouble.

According to an official press release issued here on Monday, President Anastasiades was speaking during a visit at a Greek Force in Cyprus (ELDYK) camp on the occasion of the New Year.

Cyprus was divided in 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Previous UN led efforts to reunify the island under a federal roof have failed.

A renewed effort begun in September this year, with meetings between the two negotiators of the two sides as well as a meeting between the leaders of the two communities, with the aim to finalize a joint  declaration that would pave the way for the Cyprus talks to resume.

President Anastasiades expressed Cyprus’ gratitude to the Greek soldiers stationed in Cyprus, because as he said without them the Republic of Cyprus would not exist. Many were your colleagues, he pointed out, who gave up their lives so that the Republic of Cyprus can be today an independent, sovereign state.

“It is precisely this independence and sovereignty which we are seeking to preserve through the new talks we fervently wish to start as soon as possible”, he noted.

A dialogue which should begin based on the principles governing every UN and EU member state, he added.

President Anastasiades stressed that he does not intend to enter a dialogue which will lead to trouble or a dialogue for the sake of a dialogue when the other side purports that in Cyprus there are supposedly two sovereign states.

There is one Republic of Cyprus, he noted, a sovereign state and full UN and EU member which will evolve according to what has been agreed previously to a bizonal, bicommunal federation with the full protection of human rights.