ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Cyprus is optimistic about the recent developments between regional rivals Greece and Turkey and sees the resolution of the conflict in their country as a key step to fully normalize ties between Athens and Ankara, its president said on the on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly (UNGA).
“We are in favor of hearing positive news on the context of the Greece-Turkey relationship. Everybody knows of course that we cannot have full normalization of the two countries without the solution of the Cyprus problem, but we are in favor of, we are positive on these developments between Greece and Turkey,” Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides told Rudaw’s Diyar Kurda on Tuesday in New York.
Christodoulides stressed that the current status quo in Cyprus cannot continue and expressed his readiness for dialogue to resolve issues with Turkey.
“For us, we are ready whenever the Secretary-General calls us for a meeting, even today, even tomorrow, to participate in such a meeting,” he said, referring to a meeting with leaders of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus – a state that was created when Ankara invaded Cyprus and only remains recognized by Turkey.
“This is the message that I am going to send tomorrow to Turkey, to the European Union, to our Turkish Cypriot compatriots, that we are ready to discuss,” he said.
The theme for this year’s week-long UNGA is “Leaving no one behind: acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development, and human dignity for present and future generations,” according to the UN.
