President of the Republic Nicos Anastasiades is expected to inform EU leaders on the new Turkish provocations in the fenced area of Famagusta and urge them to call on Turkey to show restraint.

A written statement by the Director of the President’s Press Office, Andreas Iosif, says that the Special meeting of the European Council, 30-31 May 2022 is the President’s most significant activity in the coming week.

The European Council will discuss the latest developments in relation to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

EU leaders will discuss continued EU support to Ukraine, particularly humanitarian, financial, material and political support. They will also discuss EU security and defence in the wake of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, and take into account the analysis on defence investment gaps, put forward by the European Commission in cooperation with the European Defence Agency, as well as the Commission’s proposal for strengthening the European industrial and technological base. They will also review progress in phasing out the EU’s dependency on Russian fossil fuel, oil and coal imports as soon as possible and discuss the ‘RePowerEU Plan’, presented by the European Commission on 18 May 2022. They will further discuss food security, including international coordination and how to ensure a comprehensive global approach.

President Anastasiades is expected to inform his colleagues on the new Turkish provocations in Famagusta. He will ask them to urge Turkey to show restraint, avoiding tension in the Eastern Mediterranean region and abandon its expansionist policy, the statement said.

He will repeat that Famagusta belonged and will continue to belong to its rightful owners and residents, stressing that the unacceptable actions and claims Turkey has, will not be tolerated.

President Anastasiades will inform on the initiatives undertaken by the Greek Cypriot side to overcome the deadlock and his proposal on implementation of Confidence Building Measures is geared towards this direction. The CBMs, the statement said, “are expected to help efforts to resume negotiations”.

From Brussels, President Anastasiades will travel to Rotterdam, Netherlands, to participate in the deliberations of the European People’s Party EPP congress from 31 May to 1 June. The congress is expected to elect a new EPP leader. “It will be a good opportunity for President Anastasiades to have meetings and inform his interlocutors on the Republic of Cyprus positions on Cyprus and issues that pertain the EU”.

On 1st June, he will inform participants on the latest developments on Cyprus, including his initiatives to lift the deadlock and his assessment in relation to development in Ukraine and other European agenda matters, highlighting the energy and food crisis.

He returns home on Wednesday where on Thursday, 2 June, he will preside over the Council of Ministers’ meeting.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.

Leave a Reply