President of Greece’s Syriza progressive alliance Stefanos Kasselakis met with President Nikos Christodoulides on Wednesday where the two confirmed the excellent bilateral relations.
Kasselakis is in Cyprus on his first visit abroad since his election to the leadership of Greece’s opposition party, with Christodoulides reaffirming that it shows the stalwart support.
During his time on the island, Kasselakis is also meeting parliamentary party leaders and attended ceremonial events.
Ahead of his visit Kasselakis confirmed his support for the Republic and explained that his first trip abroad is being made to Cyprus as “it [was his] duty” and highlights the importance of a solution, peace in the region and Europe as a whole.
On Wednesday morning Kasselakis laid a wreath at the Tomb of Makedonitissa and another at the Imprisoned Monuments.
Later, Kasselakis met with House speaker and Disy party president Annita Demetriou. He had lunch with Akel secretary general Stephanos Stephanou and met Diko president Nicholas Papadopoulos, Edek’s Marinos Sizopoulos, Depa’s Marios Garoyan and the Green’s Charalambos Theopemptou .
Following his meeting with the house speaker, Demetriou said that the ongoing efforts to restart talks on the Cyprus problem are at a critical juncture, in the midst of intensifying Turkish provocations, with the aim of creating new faits accomplis, but also in the light of global crises and changes.
She also underlined the importance of maintaining a united front, especially on major national issues, including the Cyprus issue. Emphasis was also placed on the important role of the diaspora and the importance of further strengthening ties and cooperation with the Greek and Cypriot diaspora around the world.
A statement from Akel said that during the meeting, the Akel general-secretary informed Kasselakis about about the new faits accomplis that Turkey is attempting to establish in Cyprus.
Stephanou noted that there is a danger of a permanent partition [of the island], which can only be averted by the immediate resumption of talks where they left off in Crans Montana in 2017.
He underlined the importance of cooperation between Cyprus and Greece in the struggle to end the occupation and division, for the liberation and reunification of Cyprus with a solution of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political equality, and emphasized the consistent stance of Syriza.
Kasselakis’ programme included a short tour of the buffer zone from the Ledra Palace roadblock.
On Thursday, together with the general secretary of Akel, he will lay a wreath at the Kavazoglou-Misiaouli Memorial.
