FM to ask for EU support on Confidence Building Measures (CBM's)

Cyprus Foreign Affairs Minister, Ioannis Kasoulides, will request EU`s support to promote Nicosia`s proposal for Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) between the two communities in Cyprus, during bilateral meetings he will have in Brussels, where he will participate on Monday in the EU Foreign Affairs Council.

Kasoulides will elaborate on the CBMs issue during the separate encounters he will have with the EU High Representative, Josep Borrell, and with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Italy and Germany, Luigi Di Maio and Annalena Baerbock respectively.

Foreign Ministry`s spokesperson, Demetris Demetriou, told the Cyprus News Agency (CNA) that on Monday morning Kasoulides will hold a meeting with Borrell, the first one after Kasoulides assumed his duties as Foreign Minister, last month.

According to Demetriou, Kasoulides and Borrell are expected to discuss issues related to the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy, issues on which the Foreign Affairs Council focuses, and matters related to the Cyprus problem.

In this framework, Kasoulides is expected to brief the High Representative on Nicosia`s proposal for CBMs and will request the EU`s support in this effort, which aims to restore the trust between the two sides, and will pave the way for the creation of a good climate, which is necessary for the resumption of a new process for the settlement of the Cyprus problem, Demetriou added.

Cyprus President, Nicos Anastasiades, has said that he intends to present a complete proposal to the European Council on the need for initiatives on the part of Europe for a Cyprus settlement and adopting substantial CBMs.

Moreover, Kasoulides discussed the issue of CBMs during his recent meetings in Washington, where he paid a visit at the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken`s invitation, while President Anastasiades elaborated on this during meetings he had with heads of state and other officials.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.