President Nikos Christodoulides has expressed hope that there will be political will from everyone in the upcoming meetings in New York, during the UN General Assembly week, so that the UN Secretary-General António Guterres could call for a broader format meeting on the Cyprus issue.
President Christodoulides, who was arriving at an event in Athienou, Larnaca, on the evening of 10 September, was was asked if the Greek Cypriot side was informed by the UN about the phone communication between the Secretary-General's personal envoy and António Guterres. He replied that "we have not been informed and that we knew from the Secretary-General himself that there would be a telephone conversation, because it was not possible for María Ángela Holguín to travel to New York."
"We will certainly be informed in the next twenty-four hours," he said. At the same time, he added, "the European Union has also begun preparatory work so that the conditions for the resumption of talks are created, taking into account the very important role it can play."
President Christodoulides described the week in New York as critical and decisive. "I hope that there will be political will from everyone, that there will be a response, so that the Secretary General can move forward with an expanded meeting”, he noted.
He was also asked about the wish expressed by the President of Israel, Isaac Herzog, with whom he met today in Nicosia, for Cyprus to host a Cyprus-Israel-Lebanon trilateral meeting, the President said that this is indicative of how neighbouring states view our role.
“We are the (EU) member state of the region, which speaks with all neighbouring states, we have excellent relations with all neighbouring states and I am glad that they recognise this role of ours,” he pointed out.
He also noted that we will do whatever we can to create conditions of security, cooperation and stability in our region.
(Source: CNA)
