Greek and Cyprus leaders focus on cooperation (video)

Greece and Cyprus have common goals concerning the Cyprus problem both President Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Monday, during the latter’s visit.

At a press conference after their one-on-one meeting, both leaders said that the countries have excellent relations, and that they seek to maintain and grow them.

“I firmly believe that both the cooperation between us and the continuous coordination between Cyprus and Greece, testify in the clearest way to the level of our relations and fraternal ties, and will be strengthened even more,” Christodoulides said.

The president also expressed his condolences for the two pilots that died attempting to put out blazes in Greece.

To this effect, the president announced that Cyprus will be paying for the reforestation of parts of the island of Rhodes in Greece, which was badly damaged by forest fires.

Commenting further on Mitsotakis’ visit, the president said: “It is taking place at a critical juncture both for the major national issues – the Cyprus problem and Greek-Turkish relations – as well as for regional and European development. A period characterised by geopolitical fluidity which undeniably affects the common challenges that Nicosia and Athens must face.”

Christodoulides said that he had a very constructive discussion with Mitsotakis on bilateral issues, the Cyprus problem, Greece-Turkey relations and the European-Turkish agenda.

“We are following and evaluating with particular interest the developments in Turkey after the Turkish elections. We welcome Ankara’s public statements about the desire to strengthen Euro-Turkish relations,” he added.

On the Cyprus issue, the president said that examining how a solution can be achieved in view of bettering EU-Turkey relations, is in line with the government’s approach.

Christodoulides said that they also discussed energy issues and the migration issue.

He added that regarding energy, there is a shared belief that the two countries can contribute decisively to the utilisation of the energy prospects of the Eastern Mediterranean to meet Europe’s needs, considering its effort to wean itself off Russian natural gas.

In relation to migration, he said: “It is important to point out the need to find European solutions since the frontline states, Cyprus and Greece and some other Mediterranean states, cannot continue to shoulder the responsibility.”

“We are in consultation with the Israeli side and around the end of August, beginning of September the tripartite meeting with Israel will take place,” he said.

Mitsotakis said that both have agreed to hold the first meeting of the Supreme Cooperation Council of Greece and Cyprus, which is a body created after Christodoulides was elected to have ministers from both countries cooperate on various issues, which will meet in Rhodes on October 11 and 12.

Both Mitsotakis and Christodoulides are slated to attend.

The Greek PM said that they together with Nicosia will continue to try and achieve a Cyprus solution based on a bizonal, bicommunal federation as outlined in international law.

“Neither the presence of an occupying army in a member state of the European Union nor the outdated system of guarantees, the right of third-party intervention in its affairs, can be tolerated. For this reason, any divisionary thought about two states is put off the discussion agenda,” he said.

Regarding Greek-Turkish relations, he said that he believes they are to some extent related to the gradual promotion of a positive agenda, which he and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan discussed at a Nato summit.

“We agreed to activate bilateral communication channels, to maintain this climate of calm and to convene the Supreme Cooperation Council in Thessaloniki towards the end of the year,” he said.

Mitsotakis had arrived at the presidential palace earlier, where he had a meeting with Christodoulides.

His visit to the island on Monday is the Greek PM’s first visit to Cyprus since he was re-elected two months ago.

Christodoulides welcomed Mitsotakis with fanfare from the police philharmonic that played the national anthem as he entered. Upon arrival, Mitsotakis laid a wreath at the statue of Archbishop Makarios III, the first president of Cyprus.

Arriving in Cyprus earlier, Mitsotakis visited the tomb at Makedonitissa and the imprisoned graves, where he lay wreaths and signed the visitors book.

Visiting the imprisoned graves, he was welcomed by Justice Minister Anna Procopiou. He also met with Archbishop Georgios and House president Annita Demetriou.