Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos met at the Foreign Ministry today, Thursday, 3 October 2013, with the UN Secretary General’s special adviser on Cyprus, Alexander Downer.
Messrs. Venizelos and Downer exchanged views on the progress made recently in the preparations for the reopening of the negotiations on the resolution of the Cyprus problem, in the light of the acceptance of the proposal from the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades, for separate meetings of representatives of the Greek and Turkish Foreign Ministries with the negotiators for the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot communities, respectively.
Mr. Venizelos then reiterated Greece’s support for the UN Secretary General’s good offices and Mr. Downer’s efforts, also underscoring that Greece welcomes the set of proposals submitted by President Anastasiades for confidence-building measures, based on which a new dynamic can be created for achieving a solution.
Finally, Mr. Venizelos stressed that the Cyprus issue is, first and foremost, a matter of respect for the principles and rules of International Law, and that, consequently, the issue’s resolution must be in line with the resolutions of the UN Security Council and the European acquis, as well as with the will of the Cypriot people, which will be expressed through a referendum.
October 3, 2013