EU should , ‘stop being a slave to Greek Cypriots’
Fact: The Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar believes that the European Union should stop being a slave to the Greek Cypriot side in the Cyprus problem.
European Council summit
EU corporate tax ‘harmonisation’ reforms would be opposed, Harris says
Ireland does not support reforms of the European Union’s internal market that propose harmonization of national corporate tax rates.
Christodoulides hopes for Tatar, ’s positive response to UN
President Nikos Christodoulides hopes that Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar will respond positively to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ proposals on the Cyprus problem.
Guterres invites Tatar to New York meeting
Fact: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has invited Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar to meet him in New York on April 5. Tatar was unable to travel to Brussels for a meeting, so the New York meeting was scheduled instead. Tatar will inform Guterres that he does not accept a federal solution to the Cyprus problem.
The first EU unified defense strategy and the benefits for Cyprus
– The EU is taking steps toward building a single common defense to strengthen its strategic autonomy due to various global uncertainties.
– In early March, the European Commission presented a European Defense Industrial Strategy.
– At a European Council Summit, the leaders of the 27 Member States expressed their intention to access more public and private funding for defense.
– Financing future defense investment is a significant challenge.
– Dr. Fotini Asderaki highlighted that Greece and Cyprus would benefit from European funding for defense due to their strained defense budgets.
– Cyprus and Greece are encouraged to take initiatives that align with the wider interests and threats to the EU, beyond their issues with Turkey.
– Cyprus has initiated the ‘Amalthea’ project for transferring humanitarian aid to Gaza, which gained international support.
– Cyprus is positioned as a bridge between Europe and the Middle East and acts as a guardian of Europe’s southeastern border.
– Cyprus advocates for strengthening the EU’s defense capabilities and strategic autonomy due to its military inequality with Turkey.
President optimistic for Gaza humanitarian aid progress
President Christodoulides is optimistic about the outcomes of the European Council summit, focusing on a ceasefire in Gaza and increasing humanitarian assistance. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres supports Cyprus’s “Amalthea” humanitarian corridor initiative. A conference in Cyprus, attended by 36 states including 23 EU countries, all G7 nations, and the United Nations, discussed technical details of the initiative and a fund to increase humanitarian aid to Gaza. The Netherlands will contribute €10 million, and the EU will initially donate around €70 million to this fund. President Christodoulides plans to meet with the UN Secretary-General to discuss Cyprus’s initiative and the Cyprus problem. He emphasizes the EU’s role in resuming negotiations with Turkey and affirms Cyprus’s readiness to prepare a second ship for the humanitarian corridor, which complements other corridors. Cyprus seeks positive outcomes and references to Euro-Turkish relations based on developments in the Cyprus problem.
Christodoulides in Brussels for EU Council
President Nikos Christodoulides of Cyprus will visit Belgium to attend the College of Europe in Bruges, participate in the European Council summit in Brussels, and engage in both public and private meetings with officials. He will also attend a working lunch with the UN Secretary General and other EU member state leaders, focusing on the Middle East and Ukraine. Additionally, Christodoulides will visit the College of Europe following an invitation from the Society of Cypriot Students and will meet with Federica Mogherini, the college’s rector and former Vice President of the European Commission. He will also meet with Margaritis Schinas, the Vice President of the European Commission, before attending activities of the European People’s Party and a commemorative event for the 30th anniversary of the European Economic Area. Christodoulides will return to Cyprus on Friday evening.