Watch: Immigration is on the list of talks between the French president and his Cypriot counterpart in Paris

The meeting between French President Emmanuel Macron and his Cypriot counterpart, Nikos Christodoulides, at the Elysee Palace in Paris was an opportunity to discuss major European issues such as the war in Ukraine, the situation in the eastern Mediterranean, and the reception of refugees.

French President Emmanuel Macron said: “Our meeting today, in addition to the war in Ukraine and the preparation of the European political community, will also be an opportunity to discuss our main European issues. Our positions largely converge on the importance of our work to strengthen European sovereignty in our matters of defence, energy and industry. We have already drawn up an agenda.” Ambitious in recent councils on these various topics that we must continue to raise.

Addressing his Cypriot counterpart, Macron added, “Beside these issues, we will also discuss the regional situation in the eastern Mediterranean. In particular on the question of Cyprus. I know, dear Nikos, your commitment, as well as your desire to build a lasting solution. You know that and you can count on the support of France is in this matter, whether through diplomacy or through the military clarity that we have always resorted to when threats or attempts at escalation rock the eastern Mediterranean region.

Cyprus continues to receive the largest number of refugees per capita in the European Union and its President has called for European solutions by seeking the right balance between responsibility and concrete solidarity.

As for Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, he said: “The European Union must have a leading role in the Cyprus issue. It is the European Union that decides what means are necessary to lead us to mutual benefit. France’s role is very important because it is the only role of a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, so we adopt Thank you for your support in resuming the talks from where they left off. “The Republic of Cyprus continues to receive the largest number of refugees per capita in the European Union: this is a European problem, and European solutions must be found by seeking the right balance between responsibility and concrete solidarity,” added Christodoulides.

Cyprus has recently become a destination for illegal immigrants and refugees, as it has been considered, since 2018, a point of attraction with the continuation of the Syrian crisis, and with Greece tightening its measures to prevent migrants and asylum seekers from reaching its lands via Turkey on the other hand. The Cypriot government has already declared a state of emergency, with local officials saying their country is facing insurmountable pressure from the continuing influx of illegal immigrants.

At the end of 2020, Cyprus had nearly 20,000 asylum seekers, making it the largest country in the European Union processing asylum claims for its population of just 900,000.