Nicosia’s foreign policy further strengthens our efforts to resolve the Cyprus issue, President Nikos Christodoulides said Sunday in remarks following a memorial service in Palaichori.
Responding to a journalist’s observation that the President’s international activities, particularly within the framework of the Cypriot Presidency, are causing discomfort in Ankara, and asked to what extent this facilitates efforts to resolve the Cyprus issue and restart negotiations, the President said that ‘the Republic of Cyprus is an independent, sovereign state, a member state of the European Union and of the United Nations.’
He added that the country is currently ‘proudly’ holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, expressing his satisfaction that ‘there have already been very significant successes through the role we are playing, and we will continue to fulfil this role.’
The President further noted that he believes ‘this upgraded position of the Republic of Cyprus, this strengthening of the Republic’s standing, also reinforces our efforts to resolve the Cyprus issue on the basis of the agreed framework and, naturally, the principles, values and law of the European Union,’ stressing that ‘we will continue along the same path.’
‘I am particularly pleased with the response I see internationally towards our country, a response that is directly linked to the handling of a number of issues concerning domestic governance’, he added. Explaining what he meant, he said that he had recently visited the United Arab Emirates. ‘Among the issues we discussed were energy and water management. Let me remind you that when a need arose, I immediately approached the President of the country, and they responded,’ he stated.
Therefore, President Christodoulides concluded, ‘our foreign policy is directly connected to domestic policy, upgrades our country’s standing, and further strengthens our efforts to resolve the Cyprus issue.’
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 due to Turkish intransigence. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.
In 2025 the Secretary-General hosted two informal meetings on Cyprus, in March in Geneva and in July in New York, while a tripartite meeting with the Cyprus leaders was also held in late September, at the end of the UN General Assembly High Level Week. An informal meeting in broader format that was expected to take place before the end of 2025, is yet to be announced. María Angela Holguín, the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy on Cyprus, is tasked to engage with the parties.