A meeting of the leaders of seven southern European Union countries focused on immigration and the influx of refugees in their countries and asked other EU member states to show solidarity in managing the crisis, Cyprus' President Nicos Anastasiades said at the end of their fifth MED-7 conference on Tuesday.

Anastasiades said that MED-7 will prove to be of a decisive importance on issues listed in the joint statement issued after the meeting, which is known as the Nicosia Declaration.

The summit, hosted by President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades, was attended by the President of France Emmanuel Macron, the Prime Minister of Greece Alexis Tsipras, the Prime Minister of Italy Giuseppe Conte, the Prime Minister of Portugal Antonio Costa, the Prime Minister of Malta Joseph Muscat and the Foreign Minister of Spain Josep Borrell Fontelles.

Anastasiades singled out what he called immigration challenges, saying that the seven leaders unanimously decided that what is needed is "a collective effort, cooperation, unity and above all solidarity".

"We, the Mediterranean countries, are in the first line in dealing with immigration and we believe that what is urgently needed is a mechanism for there-distribution of those in need for international protection within the Dublin regulation," Anastasiades said.

He said he was satisfied that the Nicosia declaration clearly sets out the need for Turkey to apply to all EU countries its agreement with the European Union on the readmission of immigrants.

Cyprus is at the receiving end of an increasing influx of refugees who have gathered in Turkey and are brought by people traffickers on its shores or are allowed to travel to the part of Cyprus occupied by Turkish troops and then cross into the government controlled area of the island.

Turkey is refusing to apply the agreement when it comes to Cyprus, which it does not recognize as a state after it occupied its northern part in 1974, reacting to a coup inspired by Greek army officers.

The Nicosia declaration further stated that the leaders of the seven southern countries repeated their support to the reform and deepening of the customs and banking union and the reform of the European stability Mechanism.

Anastasiades said the Nicosia declaration also said that the southern leaders have recognized that the region of the eastern Mediterranean is a strategic path for the supply of natural gas and electricity through infrastructure, such as the EastMed, a gas pipe planned to carry gas to Europe through Cyprus, Greece and Italy.

He said the southern leaders also expressed their solidarity with the Republic of Cyprus in exercising its sovereign rights to explore, exploit and develop its natural resources within its exclusive economic zone, in the face of harassment and threat for the use of force by Turkey.

The declaration also acknowledged the severe consequences of climate change, especially in the southern regions of Europe and the Mediterranean basin, and pledge to shift to a low carbon model of economy.

"Cyprus stands ready to assume a regional role to tackle climate change by promoting coordination and cooperation between the countries of the region", with a view of achieving a reduction of emissions under the Paris agreement, the declaration said.

Turning on the Cyprus issue, Anastasiades thanked his colleagues for their support for EU involvement in the negotiations aimed at an agreement reunifying the island.

"It is of utmost importance that the EU remains actively involved in the negotiations upon resumption, in order to ensure that a reunited Cyprus remains a fully functional member of the Union, compliant with EU acquis," the southern leaders said in their declaration.

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)