Nicosia hails US commitment on Cyprus, Biden friendship

Nicosia has welcomed Washington’s positive stance on the Cyprus problem, hoping the personal friendship between President Nicos Anastasiades and US President Joe Biden will pay dividends.

The government welcomed statements by the new US administration that Biden intends to actively engage at the diplomatic level to help the UN Secretary-General find a Cyprus settlement within the parameters endorsed by the Security and UN resolutions.

“The clear statements by new US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken…prove the significance which Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and his government attribute to relations with the US is correct,” said government spokesman Kyriakos Koushos.

He added: “We hope the personal relations President Anastasiades has with the new US President, who had an active role in the past in efforts to solve the Cyprus problem, will be helpful.”

Nicosia said it was important Blinken “acknowledges the problems created in the Eastern Mediterranean due to Turkey’s activities, which, as he said, violate international law or commitments Turkey has as a NATO ally”.

The spokesman underlined that Anastasiades has repeatedly expressed his readiness and determination to cooperate constructively so UN efforts will bear fruit.

Blinken said that American diplomacy would be “fully engaged” in the Cyprus issue while testifying on Wednesday evening before the US House Foreign Affairs Committee.

The last round of UN-backed negotiations, in July 2017, at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana failed.

The UN Secretary-General invited all parties involved to attend an informal five-plus-one meeting on the Cyprus issue in Geneva, Switzerland, from 27 to 29 April 2021.

The British, Greek and Turkish foreign ministers are expected to attend.