Anastasiades: Discussions at Cyprus Talks Are Targeted and Results-Oriented

  President of the Republic Nicos Anastasiades has expressed confidence that more rapid progress can be achieved in the coming months at the Cyprus talks, noting that the discussions will be targeted, results-oriented and will focus both on existing differences and on issues that the two sides have yet to negotiate, the Cyprus News Agency reports.
Receiving the credentials of the Ambassador of Georgia to the Republic of Cyprus, Revaz Lominadze, the President referred to the ongoing negotiating process to reach a comprehensive settlement on the Cyprus problem, since May 2015, noting that `the two sides have reached a common understanding on an important number of issues related to the chapters of Governance and Power-Sharing, Property, Economy, and the EU`.
`However, significant differences still remain in the aforementioned four chapters, while we have yet to hold any substantive discussions on two decisive chapters, namely Territorial Readjustments and Security and Guarantees, as well as on other issues which are fundamental and constitute an integral aspect of the comprehensive settlement, such as Day 1 of the settlement and what it would entail and drafting of the Federal Constitution, Laws and Legislation` he pointed out.
The President noted that nonetheless, following the meeting with the Turkish Cypriot leader on 8 June 2016 and the methodology that has been agreed for the way forward, `I am confident that more rapid progress can be achieved in the coming months`.
`This is due to the fact that we will intensify the negotiating process through holding leaders meetings twice a week and during our meetings each of the thematic clusters that we have created will be discussed` he stressed.
Therefore, the President added, `our discussions will be targeted, results-oriented and practical and will focus both on existing differences and on issues that we have yet to negotiate`.
He reiterated his optimism that a settlement in 2016 is still possible `if both sides engage with seriousness, discussing and submitting constructive proposals on all pending issues, in a spirit of mutual respect and through avoiding actions that might jeopardize the trust between the two sides and the good climate in the negotiations`.
The international community, he pointed out, must convey the message to Turkey, `an occupying force in Cyprus, that it needs to grasp the opportunity offered by the current juncture in the negotiations, acknowledge its own historic responsibility and contribute concretely to the process, not via rhetoric assurances, but through the adoption of concrete steps which will positively underpin the climate of hope prevailing in the island`.
Referring to bilateral ties, the President said that Cyprus and Georgia have managed to establish a comprehensive and close cooperation in various fields which is reflected at the political level, the economic interaction between the two countries, including the tourism sector, as well as through people to people contacts.
He also assured the Ambassador that Georgia has Cyprus’s support in its efforts to strengthen its ties with the European Union and is ready to support EU visa liberalization for Georgia, following the fulfilment of the relevant technical criteria.
Furthermore, he reiterated the principled stance that Cyprus maintains as regards the situation in Georgia.
`We have repeatedly expressed our full support to the efforts of the Georgian government to seek, through the comprehensive and all-inclusive dialogue within the framework of the Geneva Discussions, a lasting diplomatic solution` he said.
The President also referred to the Cypriot economy, saying that `we are confident that the economy will be on solid ground in the medium and long term`.
`The completion of the country’s adjustment programme is not the end of the road. We still need to tackle significant challenges and continue our policy of changes, reforms and rationalisation of public finances in a serious manner, sharpen our competitive edge and attract foreign direct investments` he pointed out.
Presenting his credentials, Ambassador Lominadze said that the negotiation process for the solution of the Cyprus problem is of vital significance `first of all for Cyprus, but also for the region, for Europe, for the countries facing more or less the same challenges including Georgia`.
`I would wish 2016 to be mentioned in the book of history of Cyprus as the year of reunification of this wonderful Island. This is what Georgia strongly supports and let me express my respect to the government of Cyprus for the existing vivid progress and for the efforts towards this historical goal` he stressed.
Referring to bilateral relations, he said that every year Georgia and Cyprus strengthen bilateral political, economic, cultural relations.
Also important, he said, is the fact that high level visits have been activated and `we are honored to expect the first historical visit of Ioannis Kasoulides`, Cypriot Minister of Foreign Affairs to Georgia.
`The economic diplomacy is one of the main pillars for both countries, but Georgia-Cyprus bilateral economic indicators are very low comparing with the existing potential. Thus, during last year some needs have been identified for conceptualizing the further process and the first steps have been successfully completed - the Double Tax Treaty has entered into force in the beginning of this year; Bilateral Business Association has been established; Memorandum of Understanding between the Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Cyprus and Georgia has been signed; alongside that, active negotiations have been started for promoting tourism between the two countries` he said.
He also referred to Georgia`s support to Cypriot Ambassador Andreas Mavroyiannis` candidature for the elections of the President of the 71st General Assembly of the United Nations.
`Despite the final result, we highly respect the role of Cyprus in all the international bodies of the modern world, which is full of challenges today and at the same time our decision was a strong message of Georgia’s gratitude and expectation of the positive future developments in the different fields of our countries’ cooperation` he said.