Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides said today that everyone at home and abroad recognizes the crucial role of the Greek Cypriot side in the issue of resuming talks on the Cyprus.

Nikos Christodoulides said that “there is mobility and an important reason for this mobility is our own actions, both at the international level and in the EU. It is something that is recognized by everyone and we will do everything possible to create the conditions for the resumption of talks.”

In response to a journalist’s remark that there is an approach that Turkey is changing its stance on the Kurdish issue and this may lead it to change its stance on the Cyprus issue as well, resulting in mobility and asked if he shares this, the President of the Republic said “I read all the analyses carefully, the statements made by official Turkish lips. Everything will be decided at the negotiating table. You understand that through analyses or statements no safe assessments can be made. All of us will be judged at the negotiating table.”

Asked to say where his optimism comes from, since Turkish officials as well as the Turkish Cypriot leader refer to a “solution based on realities on the island”, the Cypriot President said “indeed, we are also in favour of a solution based on realities on the island. And the realities on the island are that we have an illegal invasion, an illegal occupation and at the same time we have a Republic of Cyprus that is an EU member state and will continue to be so after an eventual solution of the Cyprus problem. And this state will not only continue to play its role in the region, but it should strengthen it considerably more. So, the most important reality in Cyprus is one: the 50 years of Turkish occupation.”

Finally, asked if there is any news in relation to a mission of UN Deputy Secretary-General Carla di Carlo to Cyprus, President Christodoulides replied in the negative.