Nicosia expects firm stance from EU on Turkey-Libya deal

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades expects his EU partners to give a “clear position” on the MoU signed by Turkey and Libya on delimitation their maritime areas, during the European Council summit in Brussels.

Anastasiades is in Brussels a day before the European Council convenes on December 12-13 to meet EU officials to raise support for an issue that Greece and Cyprus have condemned as illegal.

“The President expects that during the Summit there will be a positive approach from the heads of state and government over the matter,” said government spokesman Kyriacos Koushos.

“We expect decisions to reflect a clear position regarding the signing of the memorandum of understanding, pronouncing it a move that goes against international law and which produces no legal effect for other countries,” he told CNA.

He said President Anastasiades will meet EU officials and EU heads of state to discuss key issues that concern Cyprus, as well as issues of EU interest which are on the Summit’s agenda.

Nicosia said it would not comment on Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan claiming that Cyprus, Egypt and Israel will not be able to establish a natural gas transmission line in the region without Turkey’s consent.

“It would be better to wait for the Summit’s conclusions,” said Koushos.