British High Commissioner Damian Roderick Todd gave an interview to the weekly Greek Cypriot newspaper Kathimerini and said: “Turkish Cypriots’ isolation is an objective reality and it is one of those points that were repeated in the report of the Secretary-General to the Security Council last January.”

Todd declared that the UK and the EU aim to move Direct Trade Regulation forward with the TRNC. Todd said: “The EU has this policy since 2004 when both the EU and the UN promised to take steps to reduce the isolations on the Turkish Cypriots. The United Kingdom does what other EU members do and what is agreed by unanimous vote. Consequently, this is the EU’s aim.”

Todd also stated that Hydrocarbons will be one of those topics to be negotiated and he added that it would be realistic if the negotiations begin before April.

Todd warned the Greek Side about the possibility of signing Military Bases Agreement between Russia and the South Cyprus. Todd also highlighted that regarding a possible Military Bases Agreement; South Cyprus should take into consideration the joint position of the EU on Russia.