Kosovo's independence is illegal - Cypriot president

During a joint press conference in Nicosia, Anastasiades said Cyprus respects Serbia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as its path towards the EU.

"I have reiterated the clear and explicit position of Cyprus according to which - due to the lack of an appropriate status solution acceptable to both sides - Cyprus considers the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo illegal. At the same time I repeated the clear position of the Cypriot authorities about respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia," the Cypriot president stressed.

Anastasiades also supported Serbia's EU path, stressing the importance that Cyprus assigns to it, and adding that his country counts Serbia among the top candidates to join the EU. He also announced the establishment of a trilateral format of cooperation along with Greece, modeled after similar formats that already exist in the Balkan region.

This mechanism will encompass all spheres of cooperation where there are common interests, in order to promote peace, stability in the Balkans and the Mediterranean, the Cypriot president said.

A joint session was also held in Nicosia today between the governments of the two countries, and a number of agreements have been signed. Anastasiades pointed out that this was the second such joint session, the continuation of the one held in May in Belgrade. "We are demonstrating in practice our joint will to further strengthen and consolidate the already exceptional relations and connections - social, religious, cultural - between our countries and nations," said Anastasiades.

According to him, the meeting was an opportunity to exchange views with Aleksandar Vucic and the ministers regarding further strengthening of...

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