Nicosia (dpa) – Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is on a two-day state visit to the Republic of Cyprus. At the start of his visit on Monday, he was welcomed with military honours by the Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides in the capital Nicosia. It is the first time a German head of state has made an official visit to this EU partner. Steinmeier wishes to pay tribute to the close and reliable partnership with the island state that became a member of the European Union 20 years ago.
Following a Greek coup and a Turkish military invasion, Cyprus has been divided since 1974, with a Greek-Cypriot part in the south of the island and a Turkish-Cypriot part in the north. The buffer zone between the two parts of the island is patrolled by Blue Helmet soldiers of the United Nations. Located in the eastern Mediterranean, the entire island has been a member of the EU since 2004. EU law applies only in the south, however.
Last week, the German government decided for the first time to support the UN peacekeeping mission UNFICYP with up to 15 German police officers. In future, they are to help monitor the 180 kilometre-long buffer zone.
Discussion about this post