US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is expected to make a quick trip to Cyprus, where he will hold meetings with the President of Cyprus, Nikos Anastasiadis, and his Cypriot counterpart, Nikos Christodoulidis.
The talks will focus on the latest developments in the Eastern Mediterranean, as well as the issue of Turkey’s actions in the region.
Pompeo said in a statement that the purpose of the trip was to seek a peaceful solution due to escalation of tension in the Mediterranean, and called on Turkey to withdraw its forces.
According to the US Secretary of State, the trip to Nicosia follows on from the phone call of the US President, Donald Trump, with the Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and the Turkish President, Tayyip Erdogan.
The visit comes shortly after Pompeo’s visit to Doha, where he will help inaugurate talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban.
“The dispute has to be resolved in a way that’s diplomatic and peaceful,” Pompeo told the reporters. “So I’ll be working on that project as well, trying to make sure that I understand the risks that are associated from the people of Cyprus’ perspective,” he added.
