Anastasiades meets Germany’s former Chancellor Merkel

President Nicos Anastasiades met former German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday during the final day of his official visit to Berlin.

Following the private meeting, Anastasiades took to Twitter to hail “the captivating discussion” he had with her.

“I had the distinct pleasure of meeting with former Chancellor Angela Merkel at her political office, with whom we worked together for many years during working sessions of the European Council,” the president tweeted.

“As always, even under her private capacity, we held a most captivating discussion.”

Prior to the meeting, he also visited Berlin’s Jewish Museum.

“No visitor can remain untouched by core exhibits of the Jewish Museum, describing the quest of the Jewish people to escape horrifying Nazi persecution,” Anastasiades said in a tweet.

“During the years of the Holocaust, many European Jews fled to Cyprus and this is an aspect that is also represented in the exhibition.”

Cyprus and Germany agreed to strengthen and broaden their consistently excellent relations, Anastasiades said on Wednesday after meeting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

“I want to warmly thank my friend the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for hosting me and our constructive talks. Our common goal is to further strengthen and broaden the consistently excellent relations between our countries and people, on a bilateral and European level,” Anastasiades said in post on social media after the meeting.

Anastasiades and Scholz also discussed the Cyprus problem, and focused on European, energy and economic issues.

On his part, Scholz said that he was in favour of a solution to the Cyprus problem based on a bizonal, bicommunal federation.

He added that Germany would do whatever possible to have Cyprus talks restart based on international law.

Earlier in the day, Anastasiades met German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at Bellevue Palace.

He was to return to Cyprus on Thursday night.