‘There will be good news on the Cyprus problem before the end of the year’

President Nikos Christodoulides promised on Friday there would be “good news” regarding the Cyprus problem “before the end of the year”.

Speaking at an event to mark Bastille Day organised by the French ambassador he said his “main priority” as president “remains the reunification of Cyprus to end 50 years of division and occupation”.

“In this context, I am working closely with the United Nations Secretary-General [Antonio Guterres] and his personal envoy [Maria Angela Holguin] as we make every effort to resume the talks from where they were suspended, on the only possible basis, the one described by UN Security Council resolutions,” he said.

He added that such negotiations must amount to an agreement on the basis of “a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality”.

He then added that “soon, before the end of the year, there will be positive news”.

Turning his attention to Bastille Day, he said the French Revolution “continues to shine a bright light, projecting to the world the values of freedom, equality, and brotherhood – the cornerstones of the French Republic”.

“Bastille Day sparked the deep realisation in people’s hearts and minds that they could, for the first time, demand their basic rights and fight for freedom and democracy,” he said.

He added, “these three words, liberté, égalité, fraternité, resonated throughout France and throughout the world, and still do. They encapsulate the basic but also essential universal democratic principles. They are a beacon of inspiration, then, now, and in the years to come.”

He went on to say that those who had gathered to celebrate the day had done so “to celebrate the values which are an integral part of the bond between France and Cyprus: human rights, the rule of law, and democracy.”

“Especially in these difficult times of regional conflicts, pressing global threats, and the rise of extremism, we are reminded that we can never take our core values for granted and that it is our duty to come together to preserve and defend them for our generation, our children’s generation, and generations to come,” he said.

He went on to say that France is one of Cyprus’ closest partners in the European Union, and that the two countries will “take important steps towards a stronger EU”.

This stronger EU, he said, would entail “strategic autonomy, a more geopolitically involved union with a leading role in the world.”

He also thanked France for its support for efforts to resolve the Cyprus problem.

“France has proven time and time again, and especially in times of uncertainty, that it is a valuable and reliable friend,” he said.

“I have no doubt this support will continue, and France will continue to be a stable partner in the realisation of our vision for a reunited Cyprus, for the benefit of all Cypriots and the region,” he said.