Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has asked British Prime Minister Theresa May for her support in the effort to find a just and viable solution of the Cyprus problem on the basis of UN resolutions and the acquis communautaire.
Alexis Tsipras requested British PM’s support for a just and viable solution of the Cyprus problem
According to an announcement released from his press office, the Greek Prime Minister had a telephone conversation with Great Britain`s Prime Minister Theresa May.
“The Prime Minister outlined analytically Greece`s positions on the current developments of the Cyprus problem, in view of the multilateral conference in Geneva,” the press release says.
It adds that Tsipras requested May`s “support for a just and viable solution of the Cyprus problem on the basis of UN resolutions and the acquis communautaire.”
Earlier today, the Athens News Agency, citing a government source, reported that Tsipras was expected to have telephone conversations either today or in the coming days with with UK Prime Minister Theresa May, European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker, French President François Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Apart from the fact that each of the three countries holds special weight, Athens and the EU, the same source had said, continue to maintain the steadfast position that the European Union`s participation in a multilateral conference in Geneva on January 12 for the Cyprus problem is an indispensable precondition.
At any rate, it had added, the Republic of Cyprus is an EU member state and the Cyprus problem is a central issue which concerns Euro-Turkish relations.
A meeting which will take place between Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias and the new UN Secretary General, António Guterres, is considered to be of crucial importance as matters of substance as well as procedure are expected to be discussed.
In the meantime, in view of the multilateral conference in Geneva, the Greek Prime Minister will brief Greek political party leaders on Monday.
The Greek government expects that a climate of consensus will be ascertained since at a meeting of the Greek National Council of Foreign Policy, which has already taken place, according to sources, the dialogue which took place was constructive and positive.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. UN-brokered talks have been ongoing since May 2015 with a view to reunify the island under a federal roof.
Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci have decided to meet in Geneva between January 9 and 11, when the two sides will be discussing the internal aspects of the Cyprus problem and will present maps. On January 12 a Conference on Cyprus is expected to take place in the presence of the three guarantor powers (Greece, Turkey and the UK) as well as other relevant parties, as is needed to deal with the chapter of security and guarantees.
