Cyprus President Demetris Christofias will hold Wednesday talks in Athens with the Greek government, aiming at the coordination between Greece and Cyprus in view of forthcoming developments on the Cyprus question.
Addressing a state dinner hosted in his honour on Tuesday night by his Greek counterpart Karolos Papoulias, Christofias underlined that Greece is and continues to be the fundamental supporter of Cyprus people’s struggle to solve the Cyprus question. Furthermore, he reaffirmed the Greek Cypriot side’s determination to pursue a just and viable settlement that will safeguard human rights for all Cypriots and will ensure the unity and territorial integrity of the island.
Christofias said that “we continue to pursue a just and viable settlement of the Cyprus question that will terminate occupation and illegal settling, restore and safeguard human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Cypriots and restore the territorial integrity and unity of our homelandâ€.
Referring to the Turkish Cypriot community, the President of the Republic said that “we will continue to extend our hand†towards it, expressing hope that there will be a response and good will by the Turkish Cypriot side “with a view to work hard together, having as a starting-point the July 8 Agreement.â€
The Cypriot President also underlined that Turkey must change its stance and behave like a country that wants to join the EU.
The dinner attended among others Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and political party leaders.
On Wednesday morning, Christofias will laid a wreath at the Monument of the Unknown Soldier.
Later he visited the Hellenic Parliament, where he is having a meeting with the parliament’s President Demetris Sioufas.
After an interview with the TV of the Hellenic Parliament, Christofias will go to the Presidential Palace where he will have a meeting with Greek President Karolos Papoulias.
Following the meeting with Papoulias, he will hold talks with the Greek Prime Minister at Megaro Maximou and make statements to the press. Christofias will then attend a lunch hosted by the Greek Prime Minister.
In the afternoon, he will have a meeting at his hotel with Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) President George Papandreou. He will also have a meeting with the General Secretary of the Greek Communist Party Aleca Papariga. Later he will have a meeting with the leader of the Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology (SYN) party Alexis Tsipras and the parliamentary leader of the wider Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) Alekos Alavanos.
He will also have a meeting with the Federation of Cypriot Organisations in Greece.
On Thursday morning, President Christofias will meet with the President of the Popular Orthodox Rally party George Karatzaferis.
Later he will give a press conference at the Union of Foreign Press Correspondents, followed by a visit to the residence of Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis.
Christofias will return to Cyprus on Thursday night.
