Brussels, 04/06/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 3 June, Espen Barth Eide, the United Nations special envoy on the Cypriot issue, stated that the division of Cyprus and its reunification were “not only a Cyprus issue but a European issue at heart”.
During a statement made with European Parliament President Martin Schulz to the press, Eide said that the UN, and also the EU, should help the leaders of the communities and support them in this “very difficult process”. He did not, however, say how. Schulz stated that the European Parliament would do its utmost to help in a settlement of the Cypriot issue. “For a very long time there has been real hope that within a foreseeable time we would come to a solution (…) there is a real chance”, Schulz said enthusiastically. He stated that there was much work to be done to reach an agreement. Eide said that the leaders are “now working very hard to resolve” the Cypriot issue. There are “strong opportunities and strong hope”, he said.
While in Brussels, Eide also met European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn and European Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Cretu in order to discuss the European dimensions of a resolution to the Cypriot issue. (Camille-Cerise Gessant)