Fraternal relations must be full of sincerity, such as those between Greece and Cyprus,” President Nikos Christodoulides said on Sunday.
“I have dealt historically with Athens-Nicosia relations and I think that in many cases, without saying that my predecessors did not have this relationship of trust, we were not completely honest and from the first meeting with the Greek prime minister I said that we must be honest,” he said in an interview with ERT News.
He said that even though there are many issues that the two countries have common aspirations, on some issues they disagree and on others compete – such as attracting overseas investors.
However, through open discussion, “we managed to find common components and I believe that this is how the relations between Greece and Cyprus should be. To not to face criticism, I do not think that in the case of my predecessors things were different,” he added.
Referring to electricity interconnection between Cyprus and Greece, the president underlined that the European Investment Bank’s response regarding the possible financing of the project is expected, stressing, at the same time, that there are alternative scenarios.
Asked about developments on the Cyprus problem – where Greece is to be included in the planned net round of talks that will also see the island’s guarantor powers at the table – Christodoulides said it was very important that the UN Secretary General is committed to resuming talks on the basis of the agreed framework.
We will attend the extended meeting “to achieve a positive result and as the UN Secretary General recently mentioned to me in Azerbaijan, but also through diplomatic channels, in the immediate future we should expect a high UN official to arrive in Cyprus, precisely to prepare this meeting”.
Christodoulides also welcomed the improvement of relations between Greece and Turkey, adding that it is helps and strengthens efforts to solve the Cyprus problem.
“As has been said repeatedly, talking does not mean backing down. To discuss means that we demand and at the same time it is a clear position by the Greek government that there can be no full normalisation if the Cyprus problem is not resolved,” he said, adding that he recently had the opportunity to talk informally with the Turkish foreign minister and president.
“As conveyed to us by the European Union, we also see Turkey’s interest in strengthening EU-Turkey relations and I tell you that we are not negative to such a possibility. We cannot change geography. I prefer to have a neighbour that is close to the European Union, that is part of a European process, so that through this framework we can resolve any differences,” he said.
“At the same time, however, there must be progress on the Cyprus problem. So I also see a willingness on the part of the European Union to play a substantial role,” he said.
Regarding the second intergovernmental conference between Greece and Cyprus, Christodoulides stressed that it is particularly important that the two countries proceeded with this initiative as it gives the opportunity to exchange know-how on important issues.
“We took from the Greek government, which is clearly ahead of us on issues of digital transformation. The Greek government has acquired know-how on shipping issues, which is a sector that in Cyprus is quite upgraded,” he said.
