Cyprus’ Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Christodoulides informed on Monday his EU counterparts “about the increasing immigration phenomena originating from Turkey, the occupied areas and neighbouring states”, during a Foreign Affairs Council held in Luxembourg.
In particular, Christodoulides said that “during today`s Foreign Affairs Council, one of the most important issues was the discussion on the external dimension of migration”.
He pointed out that he had the opportunity to brief his counterparts on “the state of affairs in Cyprus,” noting the “concern for the facts as they stand”.
Christodoulides said that Interior Minister Constantinos Petrides also recently had the opportunity to inform his counterparts, adding that Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades “will do the same at the next European Council.”
During today’s meeting he had the opportunity to inform his counterparts “about the increasing immigration phenomena originating from Turkey, the occupied areas and neighbouring states”.
“It is a matter of concern for the entire EU and it is only through joint action that we can deal with this phenomenon,” the Foreign Minister noted, adding that “late this afternoon there will also be a meeting organised by Italy with other countries of the Mediterranean that face similar problems.”
According to what Nikos Christodoulides said, “another important issue was the situation in Libya.”
“I had the opportunity to report on the outcome of the meeting with my Libyan counterpart in New York, to convey the need for the EU to cope with the crisis that is afflicting the country through common actions, which will also help with the immigration and the stabilisation of the country, the neighbouring states and even more so of the Mediterranean,” he stressed.
“It is a matter of serious concern for the EU and precisely within this context I have proposed that in the short term, a group of EU Ministers of Foreign Affairs jointly visit the country so that we can convey the message of how seriously the EU approaches the situation in Libya, as well as our readiness to contribute to the normalisation in the country “, Christodoulides concluded.