Syria praises Cyprus over Golan stance

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has praised the Cyprus government for supporting the return of the Israeli occupied Golan Heights to Syria.

During an official visit to Nicosia on Thursday, Assad said that Cypriot President Demetris Christofias stressed the importance of restoring the Golan to Damascus.

Assad pointed out that the European Union (EU) “doesn’t vote in favor of” returning the Golan Heights and hailed Cyprus for “its independent stance” as a member of the EU.

“I agreed with the Cypriot president on the need for achieving peace in the region and that negotiations are the only way to achieve it and restore things back to normal among all,” Assad added.

According to President Assad, Cyprus could help other EU countries more deeply understand regional issues, enabling the bloc to play a more effective role in the Middle East.

“Cyprus is able to convey these issues to the European Union to give the opportunity to other member states to understand in depth the substance of the region’s problems,” the Syrian president said.

“This gives the European Union a chance to play the role that we request of it, so European proposals can achieve success in practice,” he noted.

Israel occupied the Golan Heights in the 1967 war. Syria has repeatedly called on Tel Aviv to completely withdraw from the region.