Press Releases

14. 4. 200810:20

April 14, 2008: Premier Mirek Topolánek Met President Demetris Christofias of the Republic of Cyprus

Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek today met President Demetris Christofias of the Republic of Cyprus. Here is a summary of the talks between the two leaders.

One of the key topics under debate was the forthcoming Czech presidency of the Council of the European Union. Talking about the solution of the so-called Cyprus problem, the Czech Premier stressed that 20 years will have passed next year since the Prague meeting of the parties of the divided Cyprus. "The Czech Republic would like to link up to that mediating tradition once again,“ said Premier Mirek Topolánek, and went on to emphasize that during its presidency the Czech Republic will try to intensify the dialogue between the Greek and Turkish parts of Cyprus. He also singled out the motto of the Czech presidency which reads "Europe Without Barriers", summing up the will to eliminate friction points between the countries of the unified Europe.

Asked by the Cypriot journalists about the implementation of the terms of the Ankara Protocol by Turkey, the Czech Premier said that together with the Greek and Cypriot sides he insists on Turkey’s fulfillment of the agreements still before its accession to the European Union. The Czech Prime Minister also emphasized that divided Cyprus was causing problems to security cooperation between the EU and NATO.

The Premier then offered Czech water-cleaning technologies to Cyprus which is grappling with problems in supplies of clean water. Premier Mirek Topolánek added that property restitutions could become another area for promoting cooperation between the Czech Republic and Cyprus. "There will probably be restitutions after the reunification of Cyprus, and the Czech Republic has great considerable experience in this field,“ the Czech Premier was quoted as saying.

Press Department of the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic