Greek Prime Minister Kyriacos Mitsotakis and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides announced the establishment of a bilateral coordination body on Monday.
The announcement was made in statements to the media after Christodoulides’ visit to Athens, his first official overseas visit after becoming President.
The new body, entitled ‘Supreme Council for Intergovernmental Cooperation,’ is a new page of cooperation and coordination between Athens and Nicosia, the two leaders said.
In his statements, Mitsotakis stressed that Athens supports the new Cypriot government’s aim to engage the E.U. in the effort to resolve the Cyprus problem.
Mitsotakis also noted that Christodoulides took office in a period of geopolitical instability and revisionism expressed by certain states. “It is necessary for Greece and Cyprus to pull together. Our joint efforts will start from the upcoming European Council,” he said.
Concluding, he underlined his country’s readiness to continue working for a Cyprus settlement on the basis of UN resolutions and the bizonal bicommunal federation.
On his part, Christodoulides said that his visit to Athens is not just symbolic, at a time when the two countries face common challenges both in the region and in the E.U..
“I briefed Mitsotakis on the need for more active EU involvement in the efforts to resolve the Cyprus problem. We are well aware that the situation is not easy but we are strongly convinced that the current situation cannot be the solution to the problem,” the Cypriot President said.
Earlier on Monday, Christodoulides met with the President of the Hellenic Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, who stressed that the Cyprus issue is a permanent concern and a top national priority of Greek foreign policy.
During the visit, Sakellaropoulou decorated Christodoulides with the Grand Cross of the Order of the Redeemer, which is the highest order of merit awarded by the Greek state.
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New Cyprus President Christodoulides in Athens for first overseas official visit
