CNA News

Migration situation “extremely difficult”, Cyprus FM says

Various options will be examined in order to reach some result that will be satisfactory, Cyprus’ Foreign Minister, Constantinos Kombos, said on Friday, regarding President Nikos Christodoulides’ visit to Lebanon on Monday, to discuss the migration issue with the country’s leadership, noting that the situation was “extremely difficult”.

In his statements after a meeting with the leadership of EDEK, at the party’s offices in Nicosia, Kombos said that they also discussed “the burning issue of immigration”, which, he noted, was of concern both to society and the Government, “hence we try to take those decisions, which will lead to a mitigation of the phenomenon, which is particularly worrying”.

He noted it was within this context that President Christodoulides, has announced his visit to Lebanon “where we will examine various options that have arisen in the context of our planning, with the aim of reaching some result which is satisfactory.”

Nevertheless, he added, “the situation is extremely difficult and this is something that should worry both the European Union and, of course, the friendly country of Lebanon.”

Cyprus has seen an increase lately in arrivals by sea of Syrian migrants from Lebanon.

President Christodoulides said on Thursday that he would visit Lebanon on Monday together with the Ministers of Interior, Foreign Affairs, the Chief of the National Guard and other officials for a meeting with the country’s leadership regarding the migration issue.

He also said that on Sunday he will meet with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and that there was also contact at the technocratic level on this matter.