Nuland's visit indicates US interest in the Cyprus problem, says Foreign Minister

Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides noted the US interest in the Cyprus problem, on the occasion of the visit of the US Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland to Cyprus and her meetings on the island.

Kasoulides was responding to a journalist`s question on Wednesday on whether Nuland`s visit could create momentum regarding the lifting of the Cyprus deadlock. Speaking in Nicosia, on the sidelines of the announcement of the dispatch of a second humanitarian aid package from Cyprus to Ukraine, the Foreign Minister said that "the Cyprus problem cannot be placed on the sidelines of such major tectonic changes that are taking place for the security architecture of Europe, so I interpret Nuland`s visit as one of particular interest on the part of the United States."

"The fact that Nuland`s visit not only concerns bilateral relations but also involves a meeting with the President of the Republic and the Turkish Cypriot leader Tatar is indicative of that," he added.

Moreover, asked about how the general developments of the war in Ukraine affect Cyprus` stance, Kasoulides stressed that Cyprus "ought to and must align itself with its partners in the European Union, where decisions are taken through unanimity. We believe that we have no right to take actions which would prevent our partners from taking decisions."

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.