Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin held a meeting today in Athens during which Cyprus issue and bilateral relations were discussed.
President Anastasiades referred to the importance of Russia’s contribution to the efforts for a viable and functional solution to the Cyprus problem.
Both Anastasiades and Mishustin are currently in Athens to participate in the celebrations marking 200 years since the beginning of the Greek revolution against Turkey that led to the liberation of the country and the establishment of the Greek state.
During the meeting, President Anastasiades thanked the Russian government for its positions of principle on the Cyprus issue in support of a solution based on the UN Resolutions and aiming at preventing a two-state solution the Turkish side pursues.
Cyprus President said that Russia’s excellent relations with Turkey could play a productive role in the efforts for a viable solution to the Cyprus issue. “We are looking forward to that during the forthcoming informal five-party conference –to be held in Geneva on 27-29 April–in order for Turkey to understand that the best solution for the Turkish Cypriots as well, must be based on the UN Resolutions providing for evolving the Republic of Cyprus into a bizonal bicommunal federation,” Anastasiades said.
Anastasiades expressed the Greek-Cypriot sides determination to attend the five-party conference in a constructive way, by showing sincere political will “to create the necessary conditions for the resumption of negotiations from the point where they have stopped at Crans-Montana”.
He also expressed the wish that Turkey will also display a productive stance during the conference, by “avoiding positions that are distanced from the UN parameters and abstaining from provocations concerning both the status of Varosha and the Cyprus Exclusive Economic Zone”.
On his part, the Russian Prime Minister expressed his country’s full support to the efforts for the resumption of the negotiation process, stressing that the solution must be in line with the UN Security Council’s Resolutions and the Decisions taken by the UN General Assembly. He also agreed that actions that affect negatively these efforts should be avoided, both at sea and especially concerning the status of Varosha, which has been determined by the relevant UN Security Council’s Resolutions.
The Cyprus President and the Russian Prime Minister also discussed bilateral issues, expressing their will to further deepen the two states’ cooperation at all levels. Furthermore, both parts welcomed the progress made in the establishment of the Strategic Framework for Cooperation for the period 2021-2023 and the Cooperation Program in the fields of Education, Culture, and Science for the period 2021 -2024.
The Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister of Transportation and the Alternate Foreign Minister of Russia also participated in the meeting.
(CNA)
