by Nicos Bellos
Brussels, (CNA) – Cypriot Minister of Foreign Affairs Erato Kozakou Markoulli and her Slovenian counterpart Dimitrij Rupel signed a memorandum on Monday in Brussels to strengthen bilateral cooperation and contacts between Cyprus and Slovenia.
The memorandum provides for close cooperation between officials and diplomats of the two countries in European issues, and is considered to be especially significant since Slovenia will be taking over the EU rotating presidency in the first half of 2008.
Rupel said the memorandum reaffirms the excellent relations between the two countries and that he looked forward to cooperation, not only within the EU, but also in the context of Mediterranean cooperation.
Markoulli noted that the memorandum would establish the relations between Cyprus and Slovenia and assured the two ministries would continue to cooperate closely.
In Brussels, Markoulli had a series of meetings on the sidelines of the General Affairs Council, including her counterparts of Portugal, Finland and Sweden, with whom she discussed the Cyprus problem, relations between the EU and Turkey, the Middle East question and the situation in Turkey after the elections.
Markoulli said she informed her counterparts on developments in the Cyprus problem, especially the 8 July 2006 Agreement and the deadlocks created by the Turkish side, and requested their interventions towards Ankara, which is ”the key” to the solution.
Asked about the issue of direct trade with the areas in Cyprus over which the government does not exercise effective control, Markoulli said the parametres for settling the issue was the reunification of Cyprus, economic integration, contacts between the two sides on the island, and the economic growth of the Turkish Cypriot community, within the context of legality and respect towards the sovereignty of the EU member state, namely the Republic of Cyprus.
Referring to the results of the elections in Turkey, Markoulli said it was positive that Recep Tayyip Erdogan increased his percentage power but noted that ”for us the role of the army is important, which has neither changed nor will change.”
