CHRISTOFIAS, President of Cyprus. The following is a summary of his remarks made to
journalists at the end of the meeting:
"I am very pleased to be in Nicosia today for what has been a very productive discussion with
President of Cyprus Demetris Christofias.
I feel deeply committed to making a constructive contribution, in order to make the new Treaty
function smoothly and to help that this Treaty deploys all its possibilities to benefit the citizens
(which, is, after all the primary purpose of the EU) and to strengthen the role and the influence of
the EU in the world.
There are two big challenges facing us which will require the full engagement of the EU at the
highest level and to which I will dedicate most of my energy and time over the coming months, i.e.
tackling the economic crisis and responding to climate change. Successful handling of these
difficult issues is decisive for the near and more longer-term future of our continent. For this
reason, I took the initiative to convene an informal meeting of the Heads of State or Government to
examine these two issues on 11 February.
In our discussions we also touched upon the state of play of the negotiations to reunify the island. I
am grateful for the valuable information provided to me in a frank and open manner. The settlement
of the Cyprus issue is important for the European Union as well. It is about ending divisions in
Europe and about stability in the region. A comprehensive, just and viable settlement of the Cyprus
issue, in line with UN Security Council resolutions, would not only allow unification of Cyprus but
also send a strong positive signal to the whole region.
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I would like to commend the leaders of the two communities on the island for the framework they
have established in the talks, and for their courageous efforts and strong and unabated commitment
to work towards a solution. From my personal experience I know how challenging it is to overcome
the divisions of the past and build a new common future. We are fully aware that difficult issues are
being discussed, but the expectation is high. We are convinced that all involved will take up their
responsibilities in order to achieve the goal of reunification. The time is now ripe for courageous
and forward-looking decisions for the benefit of all Cypriots.
It is also important to stress that the negotiations take place under the auspices of the United
Nations and are Cypriot led. The EU is following the process very attentively, and I would also like
to recall our readiness to provide all the advice and support possible to find a solution. As you
know the European Union is actively supporting unification measures throughout the island.
We have also discussed the illegal immigration, which is an issue of particular concern to Cyprus.
The European Council has repeatedly discussed this issue and has given important political
guidance in addressing the issues of asylum and illegal immigration. However, a lot remains to be
done and we need to continue examining these issues in the European Council, in the spirit of
solidarity. In the European Council of December last, it was agreed that at the European Council in
June 2010 will have the first debate on the implementation of the Asylum and Immigration Pact and
also of the relevant measures of the Stockholm Programme. This will be an opportunity to examine
these issues in a more global and structured manner.
