Newsroom
President Nikos Christodoulides called on Ankara on Thursday to engage directly with the Republic of Cyprus in talks to define their maritime boundaries. His remarks came after criticism from Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot leadership over Cyprus’ recent Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) agreement with Lebanon.
Speaking at the Presidential Palace during an event organized by the Children’s Parliament, Christodoulides said that Cyprus, as both a UN and EU member state, conducts maritime agreements according to international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. He stressed that the Republic is ready to negotiate with Turkey using the same legal framework applied in agreements with neighboring states.
Regarding the position of Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman, Christodoulides indicated that these statements do not affect the strategic planning of Cyprus. He reiterated that the Greek Cypriot side is prepared to resume UN-facilitated negotiations from where they were paused in Crans-Montana, with the objective of reaching a functional and sustainable resolution to the Cyprus issue.
Christodoulides further noted that even during Cyprus’ upcoming presidency of the Council of the European Union, the agenda will not prevent the country from engaging in talks with Turkey. He emphasized that if political will exists on both sides, progress toward a solution within the agreed UN framework can be achieved relatively quickly.
The President also referenced his recent discussions in Berlin with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, in which broader EU–Turkey relations were reviewed. Considering Germany’s close ties with Ankara, Christodoulides said he presented proposals for support and welcomed Germany’s willingness to assist. Ahead of Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s visit to Germany, he indicated that Cyprus expects to be informed of any outcomes resulting from Berlin’s involvement.
