Macron to Visit Cyprus, Christodoulides says

Addressing an event at the Franco-Cypriot school to mark Bastille Day, he said Macron will be in Cyprus “to sign a renewed, upgraded strategic cooperation which will further upgrade and broaden our close ties”.

As such, he said, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot is expected to visit the island before the end of this month “to prepare for Macron’s visit”. 

He described France as a “strategic partner” for Cyprus, and that cooperation between the two countries “extends to critical areas, such as defence, security, energy, and education”.

He also pointed out that during last month’s conflict between Israel and Iran, Cyprus hosted “more than 400” French citizens who fled the Middle East through the island’s ‘Estia plan’, wherein the island acts as a hub for EU and third country nationals evacuated from conflict zones.

Then, he moved on to the matter of defence and security, saying that it “constitutes a central pillar of out bilateral, but also regional agenda”, and pointing out that France is Cyprus’ “main defence partner”.“

In turbulent times, this cooperation is emerging as both essential and strategically decisive, inside and outside our region. Both Cyprus and France share the goal of making the European Union more strategically autonomous, including in the field of defence, and I am pleased that in recent months, we have seen concrete steps towards achieving this goal,” he said.

Moving onto the issue of wider international relations, he stressed his “unwavering support” for Ukraine in its war to repel a Russian invasion, and also speaking of EU enlargement, which he described as a “geopolitical investment for the EU”, and which he said “will be exploited”.

“It has never been clearer that our security, as the European Union, is linked to the security of our neighbours, our partners. This region … is a region in which the EU must engage and invest more, not only for its geostrategic importance, but also because it is an integral part of our strategic autonomy,” he said.

On the matter of the Cyprus problem, he praised France for “standing firmly in solidarity in supporting our efforts for reunification, firmly adhering to international law, to United Nations resolutions as the only basis for a comprehensive settlement”.

“As we look to the future of relations between Cyprus and France, we stand together with ambition and confidence in the enduring bonds which unite us – our countries and, of course, our peoples,” he said.

French ambassador in Nicosia Clelia Chevrier Kolacko also spoke at the event, saying that “the friendship between our two countries has never been stronger and more crucial than it is today, at a time when conflicts and humanitarian disasters are ongoing in our immediate neighbourhood”.

She said Christodoulides and Macron intend to consolidate this relationship through “concrete and long-term actions” and to build a strategic partnership “to strengthen our cooperation in all areas, supporting a common vision for the EU and its strategic direction”.

She also made reference to the Cyprus problem, saying, “you can count on us”, and adding, “there is no doubt that peace and stability in the region also includes Cyprus”.

“France, as a member of the UN security council and of the EU, is always ready to contribute to a settlement of the Cyprus problem with the aim of a just and sustainable solution for the benefit of all Cypriots,” she said.

“The only way forward is to work on a federal model based on the principle of political equality, as set out in the relevant security council resolutions.”

Source: Cyprus Mail