<h6><strong>Eduardo González</strong></h6> <h4><strong>King Felipe VI and the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, will receive the President of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, this Monday in Madrid, on the occasion of his working visit to Spain.</strong></h4> Sánchez and Christodoulides will meet at the Moncloa Palace. This is the second meeting between the two leaders. The previous meeting took place in Nicosia in April 2023, just two months after Christodoulides took office. Christodoulides also traveled to Granada in October 2023 to participate in the European Political Summit and the informal European Council. During the meeting in Nicosia, which took place as part of the President of the Government's tour of several European capitals to prepare for Spain's presidency of the EU Council, Sánchez reiterated "Spain's resounding support for achieving a definitive, negotiated solution to the Cyprus issue" and stated, in a press conference, that this solution "must be based on respect for international law and the various resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and must be embodied in an agreement based on a bicommunal and bizonal federation that guarantees coexistence, peace, and prosperity for its inhabitants." For his part, Nikos Christodoulides "thanked Spain for its position on the Cyprus problem," stated that "Spain has a particular sensitivity regarding issues related to sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence," and called for the EU to play "a stronger and more proactive role" in his country's efforts "to break the deadlock and resume talks from where they left off." The country has been divided since 1974 between a self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, recognized only by Turkey, and the Republic of Cyprus, a majority Greek Cypriot entity with its capital in Nicosia, which does enjoy international recognition and is even listed as an EU Member State. During his time as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikos Christodoulides received his Spanish counterpart, José Manuel Albares, in Nicosia in December 2021. They agreed on the need to enhance bilateral cooperation and coordination on issues of mutual interest on the European agenda, such as EU relations with Turkey. After his meeting with Sánchez, Nikos Christodoulides will be received at Zarzuela Palace by the King, with whom he will hold a meeting and offer lunch, according to the Royal Household, which noted that 2027 will mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
