Cyprus remains committed to reunification and believes the appointment of a new European Union special representative can support renewed UN-led efforts to resolve the island's decades-old division despite objections from the Turkish Cypriot side, Deputy Minister for European Affairs Marilena Raouna said.
Speaking to Euronews, Raouna defended the appointment of European Commission Vice-President Raffaele Fitto as the EU's special representative for Cyprus after criticism from the Turkish Cypriot side that they were not consulted in the process.
Raouna said Cyprus joined the EU in 2004 "in the entirety of its territory", although the government does not exercise effective control over the northern areas of the island.
Cyprus issue, a European issue
She argued that the Cyprus problem is also a European issue and said the EU has a significant role to play in supporting the United Nations' efforts to restart negotiations.
"Reunifying the last divided member state of the European Union will not only be transformative for Cyprus, it will also be transformative for the Eastern Mediterranean region," she said, adding that it would send "a resounding message for peace and stability when we desperately need it".
Raouna rejected suggestions that the EU appointment signalled partiality, saying the envoy's role was to support the reunification process rather than "take sides".
Things different now
Addressing scepticism over prospects for a breakthrough after more than five decades of failed negotiations, she said circumstances had changed, pointing to UN chief Antonio Guterres’ ongoing initiative as well as President Nikos Christodoulides' efforts to place the Cyprus issue at the centre of his administration's agenda.
She also linked progress on the Cyprus issue to relations between the EU and Turkey, saying Ankara was seeking closer ties with the bloc and that Nicosia supported a positive EU-Turkey agenda.
"Turkey will always be our neighbour and we want to have good neighbourly relations," she said.
Asked whether reunification remained a realistic objective or merely a political slogan, Raouna insisted the government remained fully committed to achieving a settlement.
"We absolutely believe in reunification," she said. "We cannot accept that there is a European member state that is still divided and under occupation. We will be doing our utmost to reunify Cyprus."
Source: Euronews
