The escalating Turkish challenges in Varosia and the Cypriot EEZ were raised during the meeting that Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulidis had today with the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia Ivan Korczok, who is paying a working visit to Cyprus.
According to a statement from the Foreign Ministry, in his statements after the meeting, Mr. Christodoulidis said that he expressed to his Slovak counterpart his appreciation for the steadfast position of Slovakia and the necessary support regarding the Cyprus issue, as well as for the country's contribution. in the bi-communal dialogue through the facilitation of meetings between e / k and t / k parties.
Mr. Christodoulidis, referring to the escalating challenges of Turkey, said that Ankara blatantly ignores the calls of the international community and continues unabated with its plans to create new accomplishments. He emphasized that the international community could not stand idly by, especially at a time when the UN Secretary-General was working to pave the way for the resumption of talks in Crans Montana.
He said that from the EU side, the European Council conclusions adopted by the leaders in early October referred to the Union's readiness to put EU-Turkey relations on a positive footing, provided that Ankara ceases to violate its sovereign rights. Republic of Cyprus, will refrain from similar actions that violate international law in the future and stop all illegal activities against Cyprus and Greece.
In the same conclusions, he added, the Council also made it clear that it expects Turkey to support the resumption of negotiations on the settlement of the Cyprus issue, under the auspices of the UN, and to remain committed to a comprehensive and UN-based solution. the relevant resolutions, and the principles on which the EU is based.
"Until now, Turkey's response has unfortunately been at best disparaging on all fronts towards the EU. The European Council will assess the situation at its 10th and 11th sittings and take appropriate decisions," Christodoulidis said. He thanked Slovakia, and in particular the Foreign Minister, for its clear position on the need for the EU to act appropriately and effectively when its Member States face external threats and challenges.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Mr. Christodoulidis said that during their meeting today they had the opportunity to discuss some issues that are part of the rich bilateral dialogue between the two countries, while exchanging views on current issues from the European agenda, as well as regional and international developments.
As he mentioned, they noted with satisfaction that the bilateral cooperation is at a high level. He added that "despite the fact that in recent years we have regularly exchanged high-level visits, we consider it necessary to further strengthen contacts at all levels, as new opportunities and challenges create the need for closer dialogue and cooperation. "In this context, we agreed that it is important to take concrete measures to create additional opportunities and possibilities for the benefit of the citizens of our countries," he said.
Source: KYPE