European Commission Special Representative for Cyprus and Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms Raffaele Fitto described, in a statement, as encouraging, the agreement reached on Monday between the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus on new UN-led Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs). In his statement, he called the CBMs ‘important’, while reiterating the EU’s commitment to the reunification of Cyprus.
‘We are encouraged by the agreement reached on important confidence-building measures in Cyprus,’ Fitto said, describing it as ‘a good step forward in the discussions for a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue.’
Fitto added that ‘the EU remains fully committed to the reunification of Cyprus in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and in line with EU principles, values and legislation.’
President of the Republic and Greek Cypriot leader, Nikos Christodoulides and the Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhrman have agreed to simultaneously open two new crossing points as well as to hold another trilateral meeting, following a meeting they had with UN Secretary General’s Personal Envoy Maria Angela Holguin on Monday.
They also agreed to resume the Imagine Project, advance environmental initiatives and establish a mechanism for rapid response to emergencies.
According to a UN press statement read after the meeting by UNFICYP spokesperson Aleem Siddique, the two leaders also agreed to the simultaneous opening of the crossing points at Louroujina-Lympia and Kampos-Karavostasi, as well as to proceed with the sharing of archival material through the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage.
They further agreed on the restoration of specific Maronite churches and an Armenian monastery. The Imagine Project, which promotes peace education, will recommence under the auspices of and as prescribed by the Technical Committee on Education, while environmental projects will move ahead through the Technical Committee on Environment.
The leaders also agreed to instruct the Technical Committee on Crisis Management to establish a mechanism for rapid response to emergencies.
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.