Cyprus Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides is trying to enlist the support of Washington and Brussels to thwart Ankara's intention to withdraw the occupied Northern Cyprus from diplomatic isolation. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit the northern part of the island on July 20 to deliver, he said, an important message to the world. The Turkish leadership is expected to take provocative steps - from the announcement of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Northern Cyprus and some of Turkey's allies to the opening of quarters of the former resort town of Varosha, Независимая газета reports.
Christodulidis called on the United States, the European Union and the rest of the international community to warn Erdogan against "continuing provocative and illegal actions" in Cyprus.
"We are using all available means - diplomatic, political and legal, to stop Turkey," the head of the diplomatic department promised, discussing Erdogan's scheduled visit to the occupied Norther Cyprus on July 20.
Christodoulides raised this topic during his visit to Brussels this week, where he held talks with European colleagues. The Cyprus news agency, citing a diplomatic source, reported that it is especially important for Nicosia to find a common language about Erdogan's actions not only with Western players, but also with Egypt. Cairo, which has long been considered one of the main regional opponents of Ankara, demonstrates understanding to the Cypriot side in the disputes over some areas of the Eastern Mediterranean.
At the end of April, an informal conference on solving the Cyprus problem in the traditional 5 + 1 format was held in Geneva: with the participation of the leaders of the Greek and Turkish communities of the island, the foreign ministers of the countries that are the guarantors of Cypriot security: Britain, Greece, Turkey, as well as the UN Secretary General. During the negotiations, the positions of the parties diverged: the Turkish Cypriots put forward a precondition for the resumption of dialogue - the requirement to recognize the principle of two states. This is contrary to the provisions of the UN Security Council resolutions that Cyprus should have a bi-zonal and bi-communal federation. The Greek Cypriot side insisted on following these international documents.
Visiting Nicosia this month, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reiterated the EU's position: “We will never make a two-state solution in our life. Here we are very united and have a strong opinion." Commenting on the existing regional differences between Turkey, on the one hand, and Greece and Cyprus, on the other, she made it clear that if Ankara wants to interact with Brussels, it should build healthy ties with the countries of the European Community. “I would like our neighbors to know that in whatever tone they speak with our member states, such as Cyprus, for example, they speak with the EU,” said von der Leyen.
