Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos expressed Greece’s position on the Cyprus issue during the meeting held yesterday with the UN Secretary General’s Special Adviser on Cyprus, Espen Barth Eide, on the sidelines of the 69th UN General Assembly.

Mr. Venizelos said after the meeting was concluded: “We had a first, extremely interesting and substantial meeting with the new Special Adviser to the UN Secretary General on Cyprus, Mr. Eide, who has very extensive political experience, as a former Minister for Norway, as well as a very good sense of the international reality.”

He said that he clarified Greece’s positions on the Cyprus issue, which were firm and very clear and that both agreed to collaborate. Mr. Venizelos also said that he awaits Eide’s visit to Athens.

“For us, the solution to the Cyprus issue can be only a viable and functional solution that is accepted, via referendum, by the Cypriot people, the two communities,” Deputy Prime Minister stressed adding that the solution must be in accordance with the UN resolutions, the High-Level Agreements, the Joint Communique of February 2014 and the European community acquis.

“We must ensure the international legal personality of the Republic of Cyprus, which is a safeguard not only for the Greek Cypriots, but for the whole of the Cypriot people, for all of the citizens of the Republic of Cyprus.” Mr. Venizelos concluded.