President in London soon for talks with Cameron

President Nikos Christodoulides is expected to travel to London soon for talks with British Foreign Secretary David Cameron and possibly the UK’s Prime Minister.

Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis told reporters that President Christodoulides referred to the upcoming visit to London during his meeting with a delegation of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Cyprus (APPG-CYP).

As the Spokesman said, the President informed the members of the delegation on the latest developments on the Cyprus problem following the appointment of the personal envoy of the UN Secretary General María Ángela Holguín Cuéllar, while referring to his upcoming visit to London, where he will hold a meeting with David Cameron and possibly the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

"What we will convey, once again is precisely the importance of the public positions on the part of the UK, of mobilising Turkey to return to the negotiating table to restart the talks from the point where they have been interrupted, for our effort to reach a solution within the Security Council resolutions. That is, on the basis of a solution for a bizonal, bicommunal federation," Letymbiotis noted.

Asked about the visit of the President of the Republic to London, he replied that it is a visit that was planned but was rescheduled due to the appointment of the personal envoy of the UN Secretary-General.

Invited to refer to the recent statements of the British High Commissioner in Nicosia and under these circumstances what should be expected from the meeting of the President of the Republic with the British Foreign Secretary, the Spokesperson reminded that relevant demarches have already been made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He also cited the government position that because of the new period ahead, “we believe that we all need to be particularly careful in public statements, especially a country like the United Kingdom and its involvement with the Cyprus problem".

In an interview to "Kathimerini" newspaper earlier this month, British High Commissioner Irfan Siddique said that Turkish Cypriots do not want to enter a never-ending process, to continue being isolated without recognition. He said they want incentives for the resumption of talks which will make them feel safe.

Letymbiotis said that the President of the Republic thanked the members of the delegation for the long-standing work of the Group within the British Parliament and the support to their efforts to resolve the Cyprus problem, while he called for further strengthening of efforts so that the United Kingdom sends a "clear message" to the Turkish side to resume talks from the point where they have been interrupted, maintaining the acquis of the talks, with the aim of reaching a solution on the basis of a bizonal, bicommunal federation, in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

The government spokesperson also said that during the meeting, President Christodoulides thoroughly analysed the situation in the Middle East region as it evolves and especially the latest developments in Gaza and referred to the efforts to defuse the crisis and the role Cyprus plays in these efforts, due to the long-standing excellent relations it maintains with all countries in the region and as an EU member state and especially in addressing the humanitarian crisis as it evolves but also in terms of evacuations of citizens.

Asked about the recent British newspaper report on Famagusta, the Spokesman said that it is a report that we have seen in the past.

"At the same time, however, we never downplay any publication, any information, especially regarding our occupied areas. Our diplomatic actions and demarches are continuous and it is through active diplomacy that we believe that all this is answered," he added.

(Source