‘We’re submitting proposals in Geneva’, President Christodoulides says of five party confe
Source: in-cyprus.com
‘There’s a plan of action at the informal five-party conference next week’, the President disclosed to reporters, adding that proposals will be submitted in Geneva, where the Greek and Turkish Cypriot side and the three guarantor powers will be represented as part of the next phase in UN-led efforts to kickstart Cyprus issue negotiations. Talks are scheduled for March 17-18.
Christodoulides was asked whether the Greek-Cypriot side had anything to counterpose in the face of continued Turkish intransigence.
‘Bilateral meetings that will take place on the sidelines in Geneva, particularly the ones with the UNSG, are also of vital importance’, the President added, noting that we simply need to move beyond mere observation of Turkish negative positions and do our part in ending the occupation of the country and its ultimate reunification.
‘At the end of the day’, he added, it’s our country that’s under occupation, so we are obliged to do everything in our power’, he stressed, adding that he travels to Geneva well aware of his responsibility to the people of Cyprus.
Commenting on a drone production agreement between an Italian and a Turkish company, notwithstanding his comments on European collective defence at the extraordinary European Council, the President noted that this was not the first time that Ankara cooperates with EU member states on arms deals. ‘Turkey is strengthening its defence industry’, he added, in the same manner as Italy and other EU member states.
‘If my memory serves me right’, the President stressed, Spain has the closest defence cooperation with Turkey, followed by Italy.
Christodoulides clarified that what he said at the Council is that European money from defence investments, with which everyone agreed, should strengthen European defence cooperation, as the EU will never achieve strategic autonomy, if it continues to depend on third parties for its defence, energy and raw materials.
Meanwhile, the issue of the electricity connection between Greece and Cyprus was not discussed during yesterday’s talks with Greek PM Mitsotakis in Athens, the President noted, adding that the only issue on the agenda was the Geneva Conference.
The original article: belongs to in-cyprus.com .
