MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th July, 2023) Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides on Tuesday welcomed Turkey's interest in developing EU-Turkey relations and expressed optimism over "significant" developments on the Cyprus issue.
"I have been thoroughly informed by the German Chancellor, the French President, the president of the European Council and of course the Greek Prime Minister for what it was discussed on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Lithuania. I would like to express my satisfaction for what I have heard, I notice the interest of Turkey for strengthening the Euro-Turkish relations," Christodoulides said ahead of the second day of the EU-CELAC summit in Brussels.
The Cypriot leader also said that strengthening of relations had been facilitated by "significant" developments related to the Cyprus settlement.
"I believe that in the foreseeable future (it) will be determined to which extent those statements of interest (from Turkey) will be supported by specific moves that are connected to the Cypriot problem," the president added.
Earlier in July, Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos called for the immediate resumption of negotiations on the Cyprus settlement and the appointment of a special envoy. Tensions around the island escalated again on June 12, when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made his first overseas trip to the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus after his reelection in late May.
The island of Cyprus has been de facto divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded it to support the Turkish Cypriots. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was unilaterally declared in 1983 and is diplomatically recognized only by Ankara.
