The Presidents of Cyprus and France, Nicos Anastasiades and Emmanuel Macron, will hold a meeting very soon and will announce a number of bilateral agreements reached between the two countries, that will be signed, a diplomatic source has said, following the talks which the Foreign Ministers of Cyprus and France, Nicos Christodoulides and Jean-Yves Le Drian had on Friday in Nicosia.
According to the same source, France will participate in one of the two multilateral schemes of cooperation which Cyprus is currently promoting with countries of the region and the EU.
The diplomatic source noted that during their talks, Christodoulides and Le Drian reached a number of bilateral agreements on various issues related to the political, energy and defence relations of the two countries, their cooperation within the EU and the cooperation of the two countries’ Foreign Ministers.
It also said that these agreements will be announced in the framework of a meeting which the Presidents of the two countries will have very soon, either in Nicosia or in Paris.
As regards the field of security, the diplomatic source said that the two Ministers reached an agreement covering four areas, while with regard to the energy field it noted that the two countries’ cooperation is not limited to drilling operations in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone.
Referring to the multilateral schemes of cooperation with countries of the region and the EU, the diplomatic source said that they will be based on a positive agenda, will not be against any other country and will not exclude any country.
During the last two weeks, Nicosia has held discussions with the countries to be involved, while the issue will also be on the agenda of contacts which their Foreign Ministers will have on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
The diplomatic source underlined that these schemes will not substitute the trilateral cooperation which Cyprus and Greece already have with countries of the region.
As regards the discussion between Christodoulides and Le Drian on the EU-Turkey relations, the diplomatic source said that Turkey’s will to come closer to the EU needs to be proven in practice.
It was agreed that if Turkey’s will is real then Nicosia and Paris will jointly determine their strategic within the EU on this issue, taking into consideration the obligations which Ankara must fulfill in the framework of its European course.
Referring to France’s role on the Cyprus problem, the diplomatic source noted the fact that after Brexit, France will be the only UN Security Council permanent member which will be an EU member state as well.
According to the same source, Cyprus will host a meeting of the seven southern EU countries (MED7) Foreign Ministers, with a view to prepare the next meeting of these countries’ leaders.
(Cyprus News Agency)
