Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides stated on Monday that "the strengthening of relations between Turkey and the European Union is contingent upon Ankara's engagement in resolving the decades-long division of Cyprus." He told reporters after meeting with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Nicosia: "Cyprus is a strong supporter of strengthening relations between the EU and Ankara, but such closer relations pass through developments and the resolution of the Cypriot problem."
Turkey has been an official candidate for EU membership for decades, but accession talks have stalled in recent years due to the EU's concerns regarding Ankara's human rights record and respect for the rule of law. As an EU member, Cyprus has rights that allow it to hinder Turkey's aspirations to join the union, similar to all member states of the bloc. The island of Cyprus, located in the Eastern Mediterranean, was divided following a Turkish invasion in 1974 after a brief coup instigated by Greece. The Republic of Cyprus joined the EU in 2004, while its northern half declared itself a state, recognized only by Turkey.
In another context, he noted that "spending on illegal immigration will not stop it, and the EU needs to adopt a comprehensive approach and reconsider the ban on deportations to Syria." The Cypriot president stated: "If we really want to address the issue of immigration, it should not be through money or measures to deal with the phenomenon itself. It must be done by addressing the root causes and cooperating with the countries from which the migrants come."
