ATHENS, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) --- Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos and his Cypriot counterpart Nicos Anastasiades reiterated on Thursday a joint call for the resolution of the Cyprus issue without guarantees and military presence on the divided island.
"Greece continues to seek a solution, but one that respects international law and the European acquis, and has no occupation troops or guarantees," Pavlopoulos made the remarks when welcoming Anastasiades in Athens, according to Greek national news agency AMNA.
"There can be no solution to the Cyprus problem with the parameters set by Turkey ... Turkey's insistence on guarantees and a military presence on the island prevents a solution," Anastasiades said for his part.
"We remain committed to the need to find a solution, but within the framework of international law and the European acquis," he stressed.
Anastasiades made the visit to Athens to attend a forum aimed to boost dialogue and cooperation between European and Arab countries.
The latest UN-mediated bid to put an end to the 43-year-long division of the Mediterranean Sea Island failed in July in Switzerland when the Greek and Turkish sides did not agree on security arrangements. Each side blamed the other for the failure.
Turkey maintains troops in Cyprus since it occupied its northern part in 1974, in reaction to a coup by the then military rulers of Greece.
