The Prime Minister welcomed President Anastasiades to Downing Street this afternoon. They began by discussing the reception the President had attended the previous evening at Buckingham Palace, which honoured the contribution made by the Cypriot diaspora to British society.
The Prime Minister updated President Anastasiades on the UK’s exit from the European Union and the three strands of work that she had agreed to take forward with President Juncker: alternative arrangements, changes to the Political Declaration and legally binding changes to the backstop. She welcomed the pledge Cyprus has made to protect the rights of UK nationals in a no deal scenario and reiterated the Government’s commitment to protecting the rights of EU citizens.
The leaders spoke about the close co-operation between their two countries and agreed to build on these strong ties in the future. They looked forward to the conclusion of discussions, to allow for the implementation of the bilateral agreement that will enable Cypriots living in the Sovereign Base Areas to develop their land and businesses.
The President updated the Prime Minister on the latest developments on the Cyprus settlement. The Prime Minister expressed hope that progress would be made towards the resumption of talks.