Meeting with the newly elected President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulidisthe outgoing President of the Republic, N. Anastasiadis, had this evening at the Presidential Palace.
After the meeting, Mr. Christodoulidis told reporters that “the conversation with the President of the Republic is always pleasant. We have been partners for years. I had the opportunity today in the context of this meeting to thank him once again for the fact that he trusted me in critical positions during his tenure, as director of his diplomatic office, government representative, foreign minister.
The President of the Republic informed me about the major pending issues, whether they concern internal governance issues, but also issues related to the Cyprus issue, primarily the results of the President of the Republic’s latest contacts with EU member states. I have stated that we will work within this framework to break the deadlock in the Cyprus issue. Regarding the issues of internal governance, we discussed labor issues, the economy, we exchanged views on all issues and I will definitely see the President again before his departure from the Presidency”.
“In the context of the discussion, advice is heard”
Asked if he discussed with the President of the Republic the issue of the composition of the cabinet, Mr. Christodoulidis answered in the negative, while when asked if he received any advice from the President, he said that “advice is heard as part of the conversationand it was important and this was also done in the context of the discussion”.
Asked if by the end of this week they will “lock up” the cabinet, Mr. Christodoulidis said “no. Be patient. I have been informed today, that the ceremony will take place on February 28 at 11.30 in the morning, certainly before the ceremony there will be overall announcements. I do not rule out that some names will become known by that date, especially the people who are in the Presidential Office”.
He had many phone calls and not all of them are about the ministerial issue
To another question, he said that he had many phone calls today and not all of them were about the ministerial issue. “I have discussions with some and these contacts will continue in the coming days and weeks. I’m close to coming up with some names.”
Asked to say whether he has thought about appointing a negotiator for the Cyprus issue, Mr. Christodoulidis said that “it is a very important position, I have a specific opinion and you will soon hear my decision”.
“My first trip will be to Athens after being sworn in”
To another question, he said that “my first trip will be to Athens after the inauguration. This is what we agreed with the Greek Prime Minister yesterday during the telephone conversation we had and beyond the symbolism it will be a trip of essential importance. There are several issues, the cooperation between Athens and Nicosia is excellent. That doesn’t mean it can’t be strengthened even further. I referred to some special issues that also concern the Greek government and these issues will be discussed when I am in Athens”.
Asked if he would move to the Presidential Office, he said that “I haven’t decided yet. And this will be decided by February 28.”
Asked how he spent the first day after the election, he said he had “several phone calls from several foreign ministers, heads of state and government and the meetings I mentioned above.”
He added that preparatory work has been done “on matters of substance that the Cypriot society highlighted as priorities and for these we have a specific plan for each ministry, for the first moves and actions that will be taken. Bills have been prepared for some. The third framework on which we are working feverishly is also in its final stage. He also expressed the belief that, as with his previous capacities, there will be an honest dialogue with all the media and through them with the Cypriot people. To another question, he said that the contacts he made mainly concern the people who will support him in the Presidential Palace.
Will President Anastasiades participate in the National Council?
When asked if President Anastasiades will participate in the National Council, Mr. Christodoulidis said that “always the former and former Presidents of the Republic of Cyprus participate in the National Council and you can be sure that this tactic will continue.”
Asked to refer to his conversation with the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr. Christodoulidis said that “the debate was good, it was a first debate initiated by Mr. Tatar. Apart from congratulating me and expressing my feelings of sympathy for all that our Turkish Cypriot compatriots are going through, but also Turkish citizens. We also entered into matters of the need to end this state of affairs, a situation which is neither for the benefit of the Greek Cypriots nor the Turkish Cypriots. And it was precisely in this context that they asked Mr. Tatar, I expressed my readiness, to meet even before the official assumption of my duties, to see how we can break this impasse.
In the contacts and telephone communications I had with heads of state and government from EU member states, it was one of the first topics discussed. For us, the proposal we submitted during the election campaign, we believe that yes, it can – things will not be easy – but yes, it can lead to breaking the deadlock as soon as possible. I do not fully subscribe to the view heard during the election campaign that we should wait for the elections in Turkey. The passing of time is not to the benefit of the Cypriot people, it is not to the benefit of the effort that I consider to be common, to break the impasse.
Well, it’s one of the first actions. There is a European Council scheduled for March 23rd and it may be necessary to be there earlier, precisely to discuss with the EU institutions our own proposal and formally ask to start the effort.
I always talk about the need for a more active leading involvement of the EU, we always talk within the framework of the United Nations, I don’t want any doubt to be created in relation to the intended goal and for this reason and in the coming days there will be contact with the United Nations as well”.
Finally, when asked, he said that today “I had conversations with US officials, figures who are in government today, personalities that I know from my past qualities, and will be in the days to come.”
Source: News Beast
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