UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has expressed his readiness to set under the UN auspices the new process aiming to the solution of the Cyprus problem, and to create the preconditions for its success without arbitrations and strict time frames, President Christofias stressed.
Speaking last night at Larnaca airport, on his arrival from Paris, where he participated at the EU Summit for the Mediterranean, President Christofias said that the UN role in the process for a solution of the Cyprus problem will be auxiliary, and that the solution will come from the Cypriots and not from outsiders.
“The European leaders and heads of states and governments in our region have expectations,” regarding the new process aiming to the solution of the Cyprus issue, he added.
Referring to the meeting, he held in Paris with the UNSG, President Christofias assured that Ban has highly appreciated the effort being made right after Christofias election to the Presidency of the Republic of Cyprus.
President Christofias also pointed out there was a common understanding with the UNSG, that this time, considering the bitter experiences of the recent past, the solution must come from the Cypriots and not from outside.
“This is something very important, which I believe the Secretariat and the Secretary General will observe until the end”, President Christofias stressed, adding that he was very satisfied with the meeting with the UNSG.
Replying to a question, President Christofias said that the National Council would convene before his meeting with the Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat on 25 July 2008.
Christofias and Talat will meet for the fourth time since Christofias’ election to the presidency in February 2008, to review the progress achieved by the working groups and technical committees on various aspects of the Cyprus question, including territory, governance, the economy and property. The leaders will decide whether to start direct negotiations.
President Christofias also referred to the meetings he held in Paris with the President of Syria Bashar al-Assad and the President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas.
He noted that he has been invited by the Syrian President to pay an official visit to Syria, in order to discuss and solve some problems created between the two countries, and to further strengthen their relations.
Referring to the EU Summit for the Mediterranean, President Christofias pointed out that the Summit was successful since the Union for the Mediterranean, aiming to the promotion of peace and cooperation, was established.
“This cooperation can be achieved by joint programmes relating with projects for the climate changes, and the production of energy,” the President said, and concluded: It is an effort “to bring people closer, in order to solve the problems that afflict the region for a long time, like the Palestinian and the Cyprus problem”.
Euro- Mediterranean Heads of States and Government decided to launch last Sunday “The Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean” with a view to take advantage of the opportunities offered by an enhanced framework of multilateral cooperation.
