He said that at present natural gas is the most important incentive Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots have to solve the Cyprus problem.

In the first part of his interview, the President said that Ankara’s priority, nowadays, as far as its needs are concerned, is not the European Union but the supply of energy as a result of the industrial development.

Cyprus and Israel, he noted, are the closest source of energy and of supply to Turkey.

“This means low cost. There is also the issue of the supply pipelines to Turkey. These are the priorities and I have to admit that Turkish companies have sounded us out on this score,” the President revealed.

Cyprus, he stressed, “Sees no reason why Turkish companies cannot be one of our buyers of energy, from our own deposits, in the future, if and when Ankara contributes to the solution of the Cyprus problem.”

Turkey, whose troops occupy the Republic’s northern part since they invaded in 1974, does not recognise Cyprus and refuses to normalise its relations with Nicosia, as called for by the European Union, which Ankara aspires to join.

Referring to solution efforts in Cyprus, to reunite the country, the President pledged he would do his utmost to achieve a political settlement before his term in office expires in February 2018, stressing that he expects the new Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan “to adopt such positions that would, on a sound basis, create hope that at long last he means what he is saying, that he wants a speedy resolution of the Cyprus problem.”

“The objective is not to have winners and losers but to find a solution that will be acceptable to Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots alike, which will provide for a single state, that would safeguard peace and security within the EU.”

Commenting on the on going UN-led peace process, he said the proposed methodology which the Greek Cypriot side is preparing will accelerate the negotiating process.

“The issues on which there is agreement will be put aside, where small differences exist, an effort will be made to bridge the gap and we shall embark on a dialogue of the core issues of the Cyprus problem, such as territorial adjustments, property, security, guarantees, citizenship, Turkish settlers and many other matters on which we have fundamental differences,” President Anastasiades told “Alithia.”

Asked about US-Cyprus relations, he pointed out that one cannot expect results from one day to the next, adding that analysis of such ties must rely on actual facts and not on wishful thinking.

“We should look into how our strategic relations with the US can help us serve our own interests,” he said.

Any deepening of relations with Washington or other countries such as Israel must never be at the expense of Cyprus’ traditional ties with Russia, France, English, China or Arab nations.

“Our choices must be made based on the capability and the decisiveness of the selected strategic partner to intervene,” he said, noting that Russia is not interested in engaging in the Cyprus problem in the sense of intervening in the direction of Turkey.

Source: Famagusta Gazette