Anastasiades says Turkey is expected to meet Cyprus related obligations

In statements on the sidelines of the EPP Statutory Congress in Madrid, on Thursday, Anastasiades said he had the opportunity to have private meetings with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker during which they focused on recent developments in the Cyprus reunification process and the humanitarian crisis Europe is faced with, an official press release says.
According to Anastasiades the latest decisions of the European Council were discussed and “the main reference on my part was on the need for everyone to respect what has been agreed on or their obligations which they have undertaken vis-à-vis the EU and all its member states.”
In particular, he pointed out as regards the decisions of the September European Council it is clear that what is expected of Turkey is for it to also meet its Cyprus related obligations in order for accession chapters which interest it to open.
Addressing earlier the EPP Congress and referring to the Cyprus problem President Anastasiades welcomed the EU`s more active involvement in the negotiations and expressed his “sincere appreciation and thanks” to Jean-Claude Juncker.
After all, he pointed out, “the Cyprus problem is a European problem, and it requires European solutions.”
According to President Anastasiades “it is well-known that Turkey holds the most critical link to the puzzle of a solution to the Cyprus Problem”.
“In this respect, I am adamant that a solution to the Cyprus problem will benefit not only Cyprus and its people, including our volatile region, but also EU-Turkey and EU-NATO relations”, he said expressing the hope that “Turkey will rise to the challenge.