The essential content of the conversation President of the Republic of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades had with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday, will be transformed into a concrete result during his visit to Berlin in May, the President said, adding that they discussed Cyprus` political and financial problems.

Speaking to reporters on the EPP Dublin Congress, President Anastasiades expressed his “satisfaction that in the platform for the European Parliament elections of next May, the EPP has included the only reference to a single country, besides Ukraine, a reference about the solution of the Cyprus problem and the basic principles that must prescribe this solution”.

He said it was “not the first time that the EPP is being supportive, but the continuation of this support, especially at this critical time, adds significantly to all the efforts that we are making in order to achieve a solution at the earliest”.

Referring to his meeting with Merkel, on the sidelines of the EPP Dublin Congress, President Anastasiades said that “the purpose of the meeting was to prepare my visit to Berlin on 6 May”.

“The meeting with Mrs. Merkel took place in a most warm and productive atmosphere”, he said, adding that “we discussed many different issues” and that Merkel “was interested in the latest developments on the Cyprus issue, but also about the economic situation of Cyprus and especially the way the problems of unemployment and small and medium businesses are being addressed”.

He added that “the essential content of this conversation today will be transformed into a concrete result during my visit to Germany”.

Cyprus, which joined the EU in 2004, has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third