Asked about the working document that Cyprus has submitted to the EU on the Syrian issue and what role Nicosia is seeking to have, the President of the Republic said that Cyprus is the member state of the European Union that is neighboring Syria, “so you understand that the role that we must have and that we claim, is a leading one”.

Noting that the Republic of Cyprus is clearly more affected than any other member state by the developments in Syria, he said that “therefore we want to ensure certain things, we want to convey – and this is conveyed through the relevant document that we have submitted – the positions, the common approach of the region”.

We are in constant contact, he noted, with all the states of the region and recalled that two days ago he had a telephone conversation with the President of the European Council and this afternoon he will also have a telephone conversation with the President of the European Commission on the issue of Syria but also in view of a visit she will pay to Turkey.

We want to ensure some things in relation to Syria, he said, noting that it is important that these positions, are not just the positions of the Republic of Cyprus, but the positions of all the states in the region. He recalled that yesterday a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Arab countries took place, saying that “we are on the same line, on the same approach, we have common desires, we have common concerns and all these – as a member state of the European Union in the region – we will play a decisive role in the Union’s approach towards Syria”.

Asked whether we have a specific proposal on what we can do, President Christodoulides said that indeed we do have a specific proposal, in relation to the territorial integrity of the country, in relation to neighboring countries that attempt to play a role that questions the independence of the country, the issue of immigrants, the issue of strengthening the country.

The President was replying to questions by journalists on the sidelines of the unveiling ceremony of the monument of the fallen and missing of the 120th Heavy Weapons Company (HWC) 1974 of the Pancyprian Association of Reservists, in Nicosia.