- 3 mesi fa
“Sono pronto a riprendere i negoziati”: il presidente di Cipro crede nella riunificazione dell’isola
In un’ampia intervista esclusiva a Euronews, il presidente cipriota Nikos Christodoulides illustra la sua visione per il futuro di Cipro, dell’Unione europea e della pace a Gaza.
ALTRE INFORMAZIONI : http://it.euronews.com/2025/10/24/sono-pronto-a-riprendere-i-negoziati-il-presidente-di-cipro-crede-nella-riunificazione-del
Abbonati, euronews è disponibile in 12 lingue.
In un’ampia intervista esclusiva a Euronews, il presidente cipriota Nikos Christodoulides illustra la sua visione per il futuro di Cipro, dell’Unione europea e della pace a Gaza.
ALTRE INFORMAZIONI : http://it.euronews.com/2025/10/24/sono-pronto-a-riprendere-i-negoziati-il-presidente-di-cipro-crede-nella-riunificazione-del
Abbonati, euronews è disponibile in 12 lingue.
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00:00www.europeconversation.it
00:02www.europeconversation.it
00:04www.europeconversation.it
00:06www.europeconversation.it
00:08Hello and welcome to the Europe Conversation
00:10and I'm Stefan Grober.
00:12His country only became a member
00:14of the European Union in 2004
00:16but it has one of the oldest
00:18histories of human civilization
00:20in the world. He's one of only
00:22four heads of state in the European
00:24Council, he will assume the rotating
00:26EU presidency next January
00:28and he is my guest
00:30today, the President of Cyprus
00:32Nikos Christodoulidis.
00:34Welcome to the program, thank you so much
00:36for coming. Good morning Stefan, thank you very much
00:38for the invitation, it's a great pleasure
00:40to be here.
00:42I mentioned Cyprus's history of
00:449,000 years. Now you
00:46are a historian, you worked
00:48at the University of Cyprus.
00:50I wonder how can Cypriots
00:52and Europeans at large
00:54benefit from
00:56historian as president.
00:58You know, history as you know
01:00very well, repeats itself
01:02so knowing the history
01:04and not only the history of your country, but the
01:06history of your region, the European history
01:08the whole history, helps you
01:10in a way how you
01:12approach today's challenges
01:14and how you tackle the challenges
01:16that we have ahead of us.
01:18So I think
01:20history is very important
01:22to be known and
01:24taking under consideration
01:26what happened
01:28is a great benefit in order to face
01:30today's challenges.
01:32Well, as of January, you have another task
01:34on your plate, when Cyprus
01:36will take over the EU presidency
01:38from Denmark.
01:40I guess many of the problems
01:42will remain, but what
01:44can we expect here in Brussels?
01:46Will there be a Cypriot
01:48way of doing business,
01:50of conducting diplomacy?
01:52We're going to have a Cypriot touch
01:54in the way
01:56the European Union approaches
01:58the issues that we have in front of us.
02:00We have two
02:02major priorities.
02:04The first one is how
02:06to tangibly enhance
02:08the strategic autonomy
02:10of the European Union.
02:12And when I say strategic autonomy,
02:14I don't mean just defense and security.
02:16I will explain a little bit.
02:18The second one is to bring
02:20the European Union closer
02:22to our region,
02:24to Middle East, to the greater Middle East.
02:26You know, Cyprus is a member state
02:28of the European Union, as you very correctly
02:30mentioned, since 2004.
02:32But at the same time, we are part of the Middle East.
02:34We are half an hour flight
02:36away from Libanon,
02:3840 minutes from Israel,
02:4050 minutes from Egypt,
02:4250 minutes from Jordan,
02:44half an hour from Syria,
02:46So, I'm going to our first priority,
02:48which is
02:50to enhance the European Union's
02:52strategic autonomy.
02:54As a European Union,
02:56we are,
02:58and we used to be more in the past,
03:00dependent on our
03:02security from the United States.
03:04As a European Union,
03:06we are dependent on energy
03:08from Russia.
03:10As a European Union,
03:12we are dependent on our raw materials
03:14from China.
03:16So, how can we be
03:18strategically autonomous
03:20and play a leading role,
03:22the role that our citizens
03:24are expecting from us to play
03:26as a European Union,
03:28if we are dependent on three other
03:30countries?
03:32For example, MFF,
03:34one of the most important files
03:36of the European Union.
03:38The Danish presidency is doing an excellent job
03:40and we are going to continue
03:42from the Danish presidency.
03:44For us, it's not just
03:46the budget of the European Union
03:48for the next seven years.
03:50The multi-annual financial framework
03:52is the political,
03:54the most important political tool
03:56to show to our people
03:58where we want the European Union
04:00to be in the next seven years.
04:02So, the multi-annual financial framework,
04:04of course, should reflect
04:06the traditional, if I may say,
04:08files of the European Union,
04:10cohesion policy,
04:11common agricultural policy, etc.
04:13But at the same time,
04:14should reflect the priorities
04:17of the European Union today.
04:19Let me throw some keywords in here.
04:23You mentioned security.
04:25I mention Ukraine.
04:27Do you think you're going to see
04:29the end of the war in Ukraine
04:32during your presidency?
04:34To be fully honest with you,
04:35I don't see that coming.
04:37I don't see the end of the war
04:39in Ukraine coming.
04:41But as a European Union,
04:43we should continue our clear position
04:47towards the illegal Russian invasion
04:50and occupation in Ukraine.
04:52We need to support Ukraine.
04:54We need to continue supporting Ukraine.
04:57And within this context,
04:58I will let you know
04:59that I'm planning on December 4,
05:01ahead of our presidency,
05:02to visit Kyiv,
05:04to visit Ukraine,
05:05to show that even Cyprus
05:07is coming from the Middle East.
05:10We are not part of the,
05:11let's say, Eastern Europe.
05:13Ukraine will continue to be our priority.
05:17Another hot topic all across Europe
05:20is immigration.
05:21The numbers of illegal immigrants
05:23are going down.
05:25Yet it is still in the mind
05:27of very many Europeans
05:28the number one issue.
05:30What has Europe learned
05:32over the past years?
05:34And is the path that Europe charted
05:37the right one?
05:39Numbers today are much better,
05:40as you very correctly mentioned.
05:42But if we want to solve this problem,
05:45because there's another aspect.
05:47Illegal migration kills legal migration.
05:50And as Europe,
05:51we need legal migration.
05:54But in order to really face
05:58the problem of migration,
06:00we need to concentrate as a European Union,
06:02and that's what we are planning to do
06:03as a presidency,
06:04to face the root causes of migration.
06:08We need to talk with the countries
06:11that migrants are coming,
06:14in order to create the condition
06:16in those countries
06:18for their people not to live
06:20and come in Europe.
06:21So the most important aspect,
06:23if we really want to face migration,
06:25is to face the root causes of the phenomenon.
06:29And how do we do that?
06:30Working together with the countries,
06:32supporting them.
06:33If we don't create the conditions
06:35in those countries,
06:36in order for the young people,
06:38for example,
06:39to stay in their countries,
06:40I mean economic conditions,
06:41political conditions, etc.,
06:43then we'll never face
06:46the problem of illegal migration.
06:48Speaking of coming to Europe,
06:50enlargement.
06:51A topic that has been dormant
06:53for many, many years,
06:55but now we're going to see
06:56some action here,
06:57some activity.
06:58Do you think that Europe is ready
07:01for another round of enlargement?
07:05I remember back in 2014,
07:08President Juncker saying that
07:10by 2024 we're going to have
07:12the next enlargement
07:13of the European Union.
07:14And we're in 2025,
07:16and of course we don't see enlargement,
07:19and nobody's talking with enlargement.
07:21Enlargement is one of the most important
07:24geopolitical tools of the European Union,
07:27and I'm afraid to say that we're losing this very important tool
07:33because we did a lot of promises
07:35and we didn't deliver.
07:37So that is why during our presidency
07:40we want to see an important positive step
07:44towards enlargement.
07:46And I think we can have positive developments,
07:48especially with Montenegro.
07:50I visited Montenegro ahead of our presidency
07:53together with the Minister of Foreign Affairs
07:55and the Minister of European Affairs.
07:57We visited all member states
08:00plus candidate countries
08:01in order to prepare ourselves
08:03because we want to listen to our partners,
08:05we want to listen from the candidate countries
08:07in order to be ready during our presidency.
08:09And I think with Montenegro,
08:11we have a small country,
08:12so the dilemma
08:14more integration or enlargement
08:17is not so...
08:19We can face this dilemma
08:21and I think we can bring Montenegro
08:24closer to the accession
08:26to the European Union
08:28because if we don't have positive developments
08:30on enlargement,
08:31I'm very concerned that the people in those countries,
08:33the candidate countries,
08:35and in some countries we see this,
08:37they will turn their back to the European Union
08:40and they will find other ways.
08:41And we see in the Balkans, for example,
08:43Western Balkans,
08:44we see a number of other actors,
08:47non-EU actors,
08:49having a leading role
08:51because those countries,
08:52they don't believe anymore
08:54in the prospect of joining the European Union.
08:57Speaking about money,
08:58it's a kind of a topic that is
09:00not in the big headlines,
09:02but it is a very serious problem
09:05and that is public debt.
09:06many member states are suffering
09:09from a public debt
09:12that is no longer sustainable.
09:14Is austerity a word
09:17that we're going to use more often in the future?
09:21No, I don't believe on austerity.
09:24I believe on responsible fiscal policy.
09:28and I'm very glad to say that being in power in Cyprus
09:32for two and a half years now,
09:34our public debt is less than 60% of GDP.
09:38When we won the elections back in March 2023,
09:42public debt was approximately 75% of our GDP.
09:46And not through austerity,
09:48through responsible fiscal policy,
09:50we have these results today.
09:52It was actually 115% five years ago,
09:55so you've come a long way.
09:56Cyprus also has one of the highest budget surpluses
10:00in the European Union, 1.3%,
10:03and a growth outlook of 3% until 2027.
10:09employment rate less than 5%,
10:12which it is actually the biggest challenge for us now
10:15to bring back to Cyprus talent.
10:18That's why we initiated a campaign,
10:20starting from London,
10:22from brain drain to brain gain
10:26in order to bring Cypriots and Europeans back to Cyprus.
10:30And Cyprus has been upgraded
10:31by all the major rating agencies recently.
10:34Exactly.
10:35So, how do you do this?
10:37I mean, if you walk in here,
10:39speaking to your European colleagues,
10:41they must be jealous.
10:43Responsible fiscal policy.
10:47Whatever we promise to people, we deliver,
10:51but we promise to people only what we can deliver.
10:55Let's talk about the situation in the Middle East now.
10:57You've said at the beginning no country in the EU
11:01was closer to the region than Cyprus.
11:06How do you see the peace process going forward?
11:09But first of all, you were at the signing ceremony
11:11of the ceasefire agreement in Sharm el-Shaikh.
11:15Tell us about it. How was it?
11:17First of all, it was a great honor for Cyprus
11:20to be invited, to be there,
11:22being invited by President Sisi and President Trump.
11:27We welcome the initiative of President Trump.
11:32I don't underestimate the challenges that we have ahead of us,
11:37but we need to work with all partners in the region
11:40in order to implement the plan of President Trump.
11:44And that is why, before going to Sharm el-Shaikh,
11:47I talked with the President of the Commission,
11:49with the President of the Council,
11:50I talked with President Sisi,
11:53the Prime Minister of Israel,
11:55the President of the UAE,
11:57His Majesty, the King of Jostan,
11:59in order to work together,
12:03in order to safeguard the implementation of the plan.
12:07of the plan.
12:08There is no other alternative right now in front of us.
12:12And that is why, working especially with the Commission,
12:16we presented, Cyprus presented,
12:19a very specific plan in order to help to the implementation
12:24of the 20-point Gaza peace plan of President Trump.
12:29And allow me.
12:31Our plan, based also on our excellent relations
12:35with all stakeholders,
12:37we have excellent relations with Israel,
12:39we have excellent relations with all Arab partners in the region,
12:42excellent relations with the United States,
12:44being member state of the European Union,
12:46being member of the state of the region,
12:50We prepared this plan,
12:52which touches on the humanitarian aid delivery.
12:57It's the points of point 7 and point 10 of President Trump's plan.
13:03Secure goods and dual-use screening,
13:06the points 13 and 15 of President Trump's plan.
13:11Third point, rubble removal and reconstruction enabling,
13:15the points of point 2, 10 and 14 of President Trump's plan.
13:21Training, stabilisation and reconciliation support,
13:24point 9, 15 and 18 of President Trump's plan.
13:28Contribution to the international stabilisation force,
13:31point 15 of President Trump's plan.
13:34And the sixth point, contribution to the economic development plan,
13:38which is point 10 of President Trump's plan.
13:41So we put forward these very specific ideas,
13:45building, as I told you, on our excellent relations with all stakeholders,
13:51building on our previous initiative.
13:53You know, Cyprus presented back in October 23 in Paris,
13:58following the terrorist attack of Gaza,
14:00an idea for a humanitarian maritime corridor from Cyprus to Gaza.
14:06and we did it.
14:08We delivered with the support of our partners,
14:10the European Union, the United States, UK, UAE.
14:14And we are ready at this stage,
14:16as a representative of the European Union in the region,
14:20to deliver once again.
14:22What about rebuilding and reconstructing Gaza?
14:26This is, for the people who live there, the most obvious necessity.
14:32Do you have an idea when this can start?
14:35How long it would take?
14:36Who will be the players?
14:37And what role does Cyprus have?
14:39That is why it's very important to implement the first phase
14:42of President Trump's plan.
14:44Because if we don't have a ceasefire,
14:46if we don't have the political conditions there,
14:48we cannot talk about rebuilding.
14:51When we reach the stage of ceasefire,
14:55and the conditions are there,
14:57reconstruction should start.
15:00And that is why point three of our proposal
15:03is the rappel removal and reconstruction enabling.
15:06So development, and this is the role that Cyprus can play,
15:10development of maritime routes for rappel extraction
15:13and inbound construction materials in Gaza
15:18in order to support Gaza's rebuilding
15:20and, of course, economic revival.
15:22What about the two-state solution?
15:25An initiative that is very much liked in Brussels.
15:30President Trump doesn't like it so much.
15:34Israelis don't like it so much.
15:36Is this still a viable option?
15:38There is no alternative to the two-state solution.
15:42Let's be clear.
15:44And we cannot reach peace in the region
15:48without the solution of the Palestinian issue
15:52based on the two-state solution.
15:55That was pretty clear.
15:57Speaking of a two-state solution,
15:59that is something that Turkish President Erdogan
16:02has mentioned when he was in New York
16:05speaking about the Cyprus dispute.
16:08And he said with the same clarity,
16:11he said there is no other solution.
16:13Where do you respond?
16:15What I mentioned is a two-state solution
16:17for the Palestinian issue.
16:19This is what the UN Security Council resolutions
16:23are talking about.
16:24In the case of Cyprus, the Security Council resolutions,
16:27the international community, the European Union,
16:30everybody is clear.
16:32The solution of the Cyprus problem should be based on
16:34by zonal, by communal federation.
16:36And it's only Mr. Erdogan
16:38that is promoting this unacceptable idea
16:41for a two-state solution that there is no way
16:44even to discuss such a possibility in Cyprus.
16:48I hope I was so clear as I was before with the Palestinian issue.
16:55So, a few days ago in the northern part of Cyprus,
17:00a very pro-European candidate won in a landslide,
17:05Tufan Erhuman.
17:07How do you assess this outcome?
17:10Does it give you hope?
17:11Could this be a potential game-changer?
17:13Indeed.
17:14Last week we had voting procedures in the occupied areas of Cyprus
17:19for the leadership, for the Turkish Cypriot leadership.
17:23and Mr. Tufan, the leader who during the election campaign
17:30was saying that he's against two-state solution.
17:34He's against what President Erdogan was saying
17:38in the UN General Assembly, was elected.
17:42I believe this is a positive development,
17:45but we want to see at the table of the negotiations.
17:49What is important is during the resumption of the talks,
17:53and I'm ready to resume negotiations even next week,
17:57what is going to be presented by the Turkish Cypriot
18:01and the Turkish side.
18:03So, if Mr. the new leader of the Turkish Cypriot community
18:07comes to the negotiating table and talk clearly
18:09about bi-zonal, bi-communal federation,
18:12then I think the road is open for the solution of the Cyprus problem
18:18based on the UN Security Council resolution.
18:21So you would be ready to sit down with him?
18:23I'm ready to sit with him next week.
18:25You have written, I think, two books about the Cyprus conflict,
18:30and being a historian and looking at things in large perspectives.
18:35What is the perspective for Cyprus of being united?
18:39You know what people feel on the island, on both sides.
18:44What is your sense?
18:46The current status quo cannot be the solution of the Cyprus problem.
18:51The solution of the Cyprus problem to reunite our country
18:58is the only option ahead of us.
19:01And from my side I will do whatever is necessary
19:05in order first to resume negotiations
19:07and then solve the Cyprus problem.
19:10There is no frozen conflict.
19:12You see what happened in Gaza.
19:14Everybody was under the impression that we have a frozen conflict there.
19:19And since October we've seen developments and the tragedy in Gaza.
19:25So if we want to reach the full potential of our country,
19:31both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots,
19:34we need to reunite our country.
19:37Reunite our country, member state of the European Union.
19:40And being a member of the European Union is the best guarantee
19:45for the future of our country.
19:47All right, Nikos Christoglili is President of Cyprus.
19:51Thank you, sir, for a great Europe conversation.
19:54Thank you very much.
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