New Delhi: India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr. S Jaishankar visited Cyprus today and signed an MoU on Defence and Military Cooperation with Foreign Minister of the Republic of Cyprus (RoC) Ioannis Kasoulides in Nicosia. The two diplomats stepped ahead to strengthen the bilateral relations between India and Cyprus. They signed a total of three documents, namely, an MoU on defense and military cooperation, an International Solar Alliance agreement, and a declaration of intent on immigration and mobility.
Taking on the platform in Nicosia, Dr. S Jaishankar said that India reiterates its commitment to a ‘bi-communal and bi-zonal federation’ as the solution to the Cyprus issue, based on UN resolutions. He added that the diplomats had a discussion about bilateral relations and multilateral cooperation for both countries. He said that they exchanged views on their respective neighbourhoods and discussed geo-political and regional challenges.
Ioannis Kasoulides stated that Cyprus welcomes bilateral cooperation and is looking forward to strengthening the ties in the fields of trade and commerce, investment, maritime affairs, education, and tourism. He added that India’s partition was the beginning of a ‘perilous journey’, therefore a two-state solution for Cyprus can not be accepted.
#WATCH | As we have seen with the case of India the country’s partition was just the beginning of a perilous journey and certainly not the end. Therefore a two-state solution for Cyprus and its people can not be accepted: Ioannis Kasoulides, Foreign Minister of Cyprus pic.twitter.com/o6EmAGNcnx
— ANI (@ANI) December 29, 2022
The Cyprus issue began when the island was under the Ottoman rule and the clashes between the Greeks and Turkish people began again in post-colonial Cyprus. This led to a conflict between Turkey and Cyprus. The Greek Cypriots claim that the problem was caused when Turkish troops landed on the island in 1974. While there have been treaties and other solutions, the issue of religion and geopolitics still prevail.
