EU-NATO dinner: Anastasiadis to speak on "open wound"

The President of the Republic will address the Cyprus issue as an open wound in Europe tonight, at the EU-NATO dinner in Madrid, and will emphasize that its resolution will have beneficial results in terms of stability and security in the wider region. said today the Government Spokesman.

Speaking to the media from Madrid, where he is accompanying President Anastasiadis, the Government Spokesman said that "the President of the Republic, accepting the invitation of the Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, will participate in the Euro-Atlantic working dinner presented to them. EU and NATO leaders on the sidelines of the North Atlantic Alliance Summit in the Spanish capital.

During the dinner, President Anastasiadis will have the opportunity, like the other participating leaders, to state the position of the Republic of Cyprus on the need for cooperation between the EU and NATO, on the basis, inter alia, of respecting the autonomy of the decisions and procedures of the two organizations, in the light of tectonic changes and new challenges arising from the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

These new challenges are not just aspects of traditional security, but also extend to the areas of hybrid threats and cyberattacks, energy security, the global food crisis and immigration.

In this context, the President of the Republic will reiterate the position of Cyprus that, given its growing geopolitical weight, the EU can play an active role in trying to contain security threats, but also seek solutions to crisis situations. , focusing on diplomacy and the UN Charter.

Increasing the EU's strategic autonomy - which does not prevent it from cooperating coherently with NATO and other partners - could make it an effective security provider on the European continent and beyond.

The President of the Republic will also stress the need to respect international law and will stand for the need for a peaceful resolution of conflicts internationally. He will reiterate that the Cyprus problem is still an open wound in Europe and that its fair, sustainable and operational solution, according to what international and European law advocates, will have beneficial results, not only for Cyprus. and the Cypriots, but also for the stability and security of the wider region ".

KYPE