Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos met today with the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades, on the margins of the 69th UN General Assembly.
During the meeting, Mr. Venizelos once again expressed the Greek government’s support for President Anastasiades and his ideas for confidence-building measures, reiterating that Turkey needs to take specific measures on the Cyprus issue in order to overcome the impasse in the negotiation process.
Mr. Venizelos briefed Mr. Anastasiades on his meeting with the UN Secretary General and on his upcoming meeting with the UN Secretary General’s new Special Adviser on the Cyprus issue, Espen Barth Eide.
Finally, Messrs. Anastasiades and Venizelos referred to the close cooperation and full coordination between the Greek and Cypriot governments, reaffirming their will to find a peaceful and viable solution within the framework of the UN Security Council resolutions, the European acquis, and the Joint Communiqué of February 2014.
Following their meeting, the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades, and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Venizelos made the following statements:
N. ANASTASIADES: It was a very useful meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister of Greece, Mr. Venizelos, whom I briefed on the latest developments and the meetings I had yesterday – in particular, with Secretary of State Kerry. Mr. Venizelos did the same regarding his meetings so far, as well as those coming up, so that we can be, as always, synchronized with common positions and objectives.
I must thank him warmly, because it is this collaboration that strengthens our efforts, so that we can achieve the goals, which are none other than the peaceful resolution – at the soonest possible time – of the Cyprus problem.
E. VENIZELOS: As President Anastasiades said, we exchanged information and views, and we are in complete coordination during this critical week of the General Assembly. The Greek and Cypriot delegations will have a series of critical meetings on our national issue, which is always at the top of the agenda.
I had the opportunity to discuss the Cyprus issue with the UN Secretary General. I will have an introductory meeting with the Secretary General’s new Special Adviser, and naturally there are a number of other critical meetings, one of which will be the usual meeting I have with my Turkish counterpart.
Precisely as President Anastasiades said, our goal is a peaceful, viable solution within the framework of the Security Council resolutions, the European acquis, and the joint communiqué of February 2014,
The Greek government supports President Anastasiades, his initiatives, the ideas for confidence-building measures. And we always reiterate at all of our meetings that the key to developments lies in the stance of Turkey, which must undertake its own initiatives to overcome the historical impasse that exists in the Cyprus issue, which is always a problem of invasion and occupation.
JOURNALIST: Ahead of the Samaras-Merkel meeting in Berlin, and according to officials’ statements, Greece is preparing to sever the lending agreement. Can Greece cover the funding gap of 15 to 20 million euros?
E. VENIZELOS: I want to remind you that the matter of the relationship with the IMF, following the expiry of the European portion of the support programme, has already been raised by Ireland, and this is very important. Moreover, the IMF is in the heart of the eurozone not as a lender, because it has capital, but because it has know-how. But this has been transferred to the European Commission and the other European organs, and it is of very great importance for us to follow the procedures and utilize the European mechanisms in order to return to European normalcy.
I don’t want to respond with technical details. I can say, however, that it is very important that Greece has already returned to the markets on very, very good terms; that is, with interest on loans that is better that the lending rates of the IMF.
JOURNALIST: Is there an issue of a third memorandum?
E. VENIZELOS: No, there is no issue of a third memorandum. We want to leave behind such concepts and the concept of the Troika.
September 22, 2014