President urges for more funding for migration in EU teleconference

President Nikos Christodoulides pointed out the necessity for additional funding in both internal and external dimensions of migration management, during a preparatory teleconference for the next European Council meeting later this week.

He furthermore, reiterated the need for de-escalation of the crisis in the Middle East and highlighted the Cypriot initiative for a humanitarian corridor to Gaza.

According to a written statement by the Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis, the President participated in a preparatory teleconference for the European Council on the afternoon of 11 December. The European Council is scheduled to take place on 14 and 15 December in Brussels. The teleconference was convened by the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, and was attended by the Prime Ministers of Croatia, the Czech Republic, Finland, Slovakia, and Luxembourg.

The discussion covered various topics on the European Council agenda, including developments in the Middle East, the situation in Ukraine, migration, the revision of the Multiannual Financial Framework, the debate on the Strategic Agenda, and the enlargement of the European Union.

President Christodoulides, during his intervention, reiterated the urgency for de-escalation in the Middle East and stressed the need for the EU to play an active role in restarting the peace process.

The President expressed Cyprus's immediate commitment to providing humanitarian aid to the civilian population in Gaza and discussed the ongoing efforts of Cyprus in implementing the initiative for a maritime corridor to deliver humanitarian assistance from Cyprus to Gaza.

Regarding the enlargement of the EU, President Christodoulides expressed Cyprus' readiness to engage in discussions, aligning with the recommendations of the European Commission for Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina. He also noted that any enlargement should remain a merit-based process, subject to specific conditions and eligibility criteria.

In the context of the discussion on the Multiannual Financial Framework, the President underscored the pressing need for additional funding for effective migration management, addressing both internal and external dimensions of the issue.

(Source: CNA)