The US Ambassador to Cyprus, Ronald Schlicher, said on Tuesday that the US Administration is working very hard to move forward on the Cyprus question.
Schlicher was speaking after meeting AKEL Parliamentary Spokesman Nicos Katsourides.
Schlicher, who recently took up his duties, said the meeting was one in a series of meetings “with the political leadership element across the island and across a spectrum of parties” , noting that this is an “important part” of getting to know Cyprus.
The ambassador said it is “very valuable for me to get first hand from the political leadership, what they think in great detail about how to move forward on the Cyprus question towards the reunification of the island which is of course what my government is working for very hard”.
He noted that it is also very important for him in the middle of the parliamentary election season on the island, “to understand what your political leaders see as issues that are on the minds of the Cypriot people, certainly on the Cyprus question and how the people see that, how people see the way forward, what its vision is for the reunification of the island”.
Schlicher said it is interesting for him “to get to know from the leaders what people are thinking about all of the social issues that face as well”.
The Ambassador added he is “looking forward to see other political leaders in the other political parties as well” and that he looks “forward over the next three years to working with all of the leadership elements in all of the parties and seeking to find a way forward on the Cyprus question and the many other bilateral issues that we share”.
Katsourides said he was glad to ascertain that there are new views on the part of the US. “First of all, the solution to the Cyprus problem is to the interest of all Cypriots, but also to the interest of the region and generally peace and security in the world”.
“We made it clear that what we are seeking is not anything against our Turkish Cypriot compatriots”, said Katsourides, adding that the priority is “safety of all Cypriots and to build a common happy future”. (CNA)
