In remarks to reporters on the sidelines of the memorial service for those who died during the coup, held at the Church of Saints Constantine and Helen, the President of the Republic said, “We are here to condemn the treacherous coup, for which there is absolutely no justification.

We are here to honor all those who sacrificed themselves so that democracy might exist in this land, so that the Republic of Cyprus might exist. Our gratitude is eternal.

The treacherous coup, which Turkey used as a pretext to impose long-standing goals—goals that had been set even before the founding of the Republic of Cyprus— and it is precisely these goals that we have been working toward from the very first day the Cypriot people entrusted us with power in this country—to overturn them through a functional and sustainable solution to the Cyprus problem, that will reunite the Republic of Cyprus in practice—a state that is a member of the European Union and will continue to be so after the resolution of the Cyprus problem.

And we place particular emphasis on the European Union factor.

I have just returned from Paris, where I had an excellent meeting with the President of the Commission, who the previous day had announced the Executive Vice-President as her Special Representative on the Cyprus issue.

There have been several developments. In the coming days, we will hear further news that will demonstrate this momentum. A momentum that we have worked very hard to achieve. A momentum that we continue to work on so that it translates into concrete results. Results that are nothing other than the resumption of talks from where they were interrupted, toward a solution that is fully compatible with the principles, values, and law of the European Union. Only in this way will we thwart Turkey’s objectives, as manifested under the pretext of the treacherous coup in 1974.”

When asked whether a date had been set for an expanded meeting, and whether the developments he referred to would take place within that framework, the President of the Republic said that “the announcements will be made by those who are the key players. So, please allow us to let them make the announcements. These will be signs of this momentum—which, I repeat, we have maintained from day one with a specific plan and a specific strategy—that has yielded results, and we are continuing because, for us, the current state of affairs does not represent the future of Cyprus. We are continuing in this way to achieve the goal—I repeat—of a functional, sustainable solution based on the law, principles, and values of the European Union.

And I am pleased to see, for the first time, such interest on the part of the European Union and a desire to play a leading role—something that, I repeat, we had called for from the very beginning. When we started, there was no prospect of resuming talks, but through hard work, through the recognition of our political will, and through initiatives at the European and international levels, this momentum has been created. We are not resting on our laurels. Momentum alone is not enough for us. We want results, and the first result we are seeking—I repeat—is the resumption of talks from where they left off.”

When asked whether the timing of Mr. Fitto’s appointment was an indication that developments were imminent, the President of the Republic said that “I said a short while ago that we are in for a summer during which we will all be on high alert. After all, in the effort to resolve the Cyprus issue, there is no different approach, whether it is summer, winter, or fall. We want progress, and it is certainly no coincidence that the Commission President announced the Executive Vice President as her personal envoy at this particular time.”

In response to a journalist’s observation that photographs from Paris show him and the Turkish Foreign Minister in conversation, the President of the Republic said “Yes, we had a very brief—it wasn’t a conversation, but rather a discussion prompted by all these developments, the actions and moves by the United Nations Secretary-General, as well as the moves on the part of the European Union, and we exchanged views.”

In response to a journalist’s remark that Turkish media are denying that any discussion took place between the President of the Republic of Cyprus and the Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs, President Christodoulides stated that “I said there were no talks; there was a discussion. You can see it in the video. I didn’t imagine the discussion, nor the photo. It’s not an AI-generated image.”

When asked whether, following his meeting with Ms. von der Leyen—who had held meetings in Ankara with the President and the Foreign Minister of Turkey— he was more optimistic regarding Turkey’s approach and EU-Turkey relations, the President of the Republic said that “Turkey’s approach will become clear at the negotiating table, no matter what I say or how I assess the situation. What I take away from my meeting yesterday with the President of the Commission are two points.

First, that the solution must be fully compatible with the principles, values, and law of the European Union. This is very specific terminology that the President of the Commission used not only with me yesterday, but also with her counterparts in Turkey and with the UN Secretary-General. And let me remind you that this reference first appeared, in my view, letter of historic significance from the Commission President and the Council President in March in Geneva, when the first expanded meeting took place. Before we began, a joint letter had been sent by the President of the Commission and the President of the European Council, in which they spoke for the first time in such concrete terms about the content of a solution. So, that was the first point.

Second, any developments—positive developments—regarding EU-Turkey relations require substantial and concrete positive developments on the Cyprus issue.

These two points, I believe, are the most important takeaways from my conversation yesterday with the President of the Commission, aside from the fact that she herself told me that whatever we believe might help, the European Union is always at our disposal.

“The Republic of Cyprus is an EU member state and will continue to be so even after a possible solution to the Cyprus problem.”

In response to a journalist’s remark that Ms. von der Leyen had also spoken with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and when asked whether it had been decided that the European Union would play a more active role in apotentially expanded meeting—that is, to be at the negotiating table—the President of the Republic said that “Since we are talking and discussing, it is Turkey’s desire to see positive developments in Euro-Turkish relations. The European Union cannot be absent. How can the European Union be absent when these developments concern decisions made not only by the European Union itself but also by its member states?” ¨

When asked to comment on criticism from the so-called “Ministry of Foreign Affairs” in the occupied territories regarding the European Union’s decision to appoint a special envoy for the Cyprus issue, the President of the Republic said, “I did not expect a different approach—a public one. What matters, however, is the result. The result—the appointment, the elevated appointment—because this is an elevated appointment. We’re talking about the Executive Vice President of the European Commission.”

When asked to comment on the Independent’s article regarding the Cyprus issue, President Christodoulides said that “none of what the article claims is true.”

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