forces. been trying to clear the region of wife teaching fighting since january. syria's president bashar assad has visited army positions in eastern guta where his forces now control almost eighty percent of the territory assad met soldiers who have been part of the effort to retake the area the un is said to be negotiating possible a possible ceasefire with the main rebel group that. republican senate has a warning u.s. president donald trump not to fire special counsel robert muller saying he must be allowed to investigate alleged russian meddling in the twenty sixteen presidential election trump has renewed his twitter attacks on both the f.b.i. and muller since the firing since firing the bureau's former deputy director andy mccabe on friday became is reported to have kept detailed notes about his interactions with the president russia's ambassador to the e.u. has suggested that the nerve agent used to poison

a former spy could have originated in the u.k. british government has dismissed that claim saying the poison used. on his daughter came from russia. is next. michael. it will be good. to see. cyprus has long had an important geopolitical position in the mediterranean but it's been at the center of an f.b.i. dispute see nine hundred seventy which is divine beyond the. the republic of cyprus is controlled by greek cypriots and is recognized by the international community in

fact it became a member of the european union in two thousand and four more than part of the island is ruled by the government of the self declared northern cyprus. is recognized by turkey and guarded by its armed forces. the conflict has gone through many ups and downs but things escalated recently when the turkish navy blocked access to an italian drill ship in february the vessel was part of efforts to explore recently discovered gas fields on the southeastern tip of the island the heads of the e.u. backed the greek cypriot leader nikos anastasio address the european commission's president jean-claude juncker said he was strictly against the behavior of turkey turkish president of the un issued a warning to cyprus and foreign companies though not to infringe on what he calls turkey sovereignty where do things go from here and this diplomacy the only way forward i'm sam is a band at the presidential palace in the casea this week the president of staff the

others tells me he's ready to jump out of a television interview and begin peace talks if the turkish cypriot leader calls him he also confirms u.s. energy giant eggs and mobile is on track to start exploration in the eastern mediterranean sea and he says he's confident the u.s. knows how to protect its interests because this president of the republic of cyprus talks to al-jazeera. president anastasio this thank you so much for talking to al-jazeera the cyprus conflict is one of the longest one of the most frozen in history when will really unification talks begin when will you resume talks one was written to continue the deliberations from the stage they have been left during the ground on a conference. so while you're going even if you will allow me what we need it's

a much better preparation before going to such a conference every time we are failing to reach a settlement the disappointment of the people and the mistrust are increasing i want to clarify something so what your foreign minister recently said that there can be no talks until the turkish side as he sees it stops blocking exploration in cypriot waters that is no longer a precondition be resuming talks now it is always it's not a precondition it's a matter of respecting the international you could not expect from a government to. continue the talks or to accept to start. a new round of negotiations when the other side is putting a precondition but before starting you have to accept that the. exploitation explore asian exploitation or whatever point we are portraying as

regards the. hydrocarbons we have to decide together we have to agree to a got a whole committee will decide. regards to licensing guys or gods with whom we have to to whom we have to sell and all of these kind of things ok but if most of the turkish cypriot leader if he calls you today and says let's have talks would you accept given us ladies going to you and the ten to meet ok i understand you've actually extended a dinner invitation to him as he accepted is there a date for that is a hurdle you has accepted but we are waiting period so there's no date before twenty or so many days twenty five days i have convey the message that i'm ready to meet at any given moment with mr king in order to get a policed. to have a talk to see where is we are standing where what we are planning for the future

where we are going to be an acceptable studies go for both communities is going to continue or we have to seat with i mean decisiveness to see how we can proceed. ok so why do it if you're only that unfortunately since then i haven't received a clear answer when so everything is is pending you can g.'s he answers a day he's ready to. this is the this isn't the baffling thing you say already he saved his ready so there where is the problem in that i don't know why because when i'm saying i'm ready i mean it right the other side is saying in jew course so you're basically waiting on a date from them but it is quite clear i can't read a message two times through elizabeth spec or the special advisor of the secretary general as well as with the undersecretary teller since the collapse of the talks

in switzerland last year you did mention now that there has to be better preparation what exactly does that mean how would the agenda of talks be different now from your perspective when explaining to you are joining the ground one dollar the secretary general of the united nations put his framework the framework or was . in including six issues issues security in the ninety's the nation actually. of the obsolete system of security and guarantees the withdrawal of troops. or a proposal to see how to face we draw in the rabbit production and so on and talk about turkish troops in the owner is just to clarify for our ears yes yes and then for other issues to be faring today internally. much as we are discussing go for example the property issue of the territory are very just means that take the participation and the demand by turkey for

a equitable treatment between greeks and turks nationalists so this is the way if you want a basket of. issues there secretary-general race judging that i'm going to when we are saying and to be well prepared we went there with promises or with expectations that teddy was to make the surprise to accept that we have to be after the solution at least an independent sobering state without interventions without any dependencies. by any third count so you feel you were disappointed or misled with going into talks with certain expectations. like what were you promised before you went into talks that you felt you were let down i have said that if there is a progress in telling money aspects of the problem then turkey will make a positive movements towards our own. not only our own

but for every i mean country what is looking is to be an independent state and not a protect or a door not contort who has made these promises that turkey would make a more positive during the negotiations the understanding that if we shall make progress then we shall connected with the security which means terminations of guarantees the replacement if you want of the old or the obsolete system of that and he's with another. system bearing in mind that cyprus is a member state of the union united nation as well as a member state of the european union which according to their charters there are enough provisions to protect all that people or the people when i mean aid are critical to your superiors when you talk about the old system guarantees let's call a spade a spade are we talking about the move of turkish troops out of there that's that's

not only is the current is and take withdrawal of troops do you see that there is any role whatsoever for turkish troops to play in cyprus after a reunified i don't think that we need any more any kind of troops either greek british or turkish troops this was our problem in the past with. this is the problem we have facing till today due to the intervention by turkey and i have explained to mr chad also look that the distance between cyprus and turkey is just sixty kilometers so who is there. to do anything and we have eleven from our mistakes from the past so nobody will touch from the moment really what sort of mistakes when you say we've learned from us thanks in the past what would you say you've learned we have i mean immediately after the independence the the critics euclid's they will continue to have in their mind the union we greece

wives attempted superglued they were having in their mind the division of the island the taxi as they were calling it at the time and they have been encouraged both communities by the motherland countries is a federal system still the starting point for negotiations yes this is the basis of the solution actually i disheartened when you hear statements from some on the other side who talk about perhaps having to look outside of federalism perhaps having to look at some other sort of solution i don't know what they have in their mind a plan b. but then there is no plan b. from your perspective you know our own there is only one plan ok and plan a means of unification of the island and most important should be to to build up a viable lasting solution on their functioning state a modern state areal european state which is what we are looking without privileges

to be a one community or to the other we are accepting then we have accepted the rate the political equality but not the numerical equality it is quite different. well the other side say that while outwardly the greek cypriot side wants is for turkish cypriots to simply be some kind of underclass minority rather than equal partners in a unified state there are many convergences who have already gave the answer to these concerns of the turkish cypriots to the contrary what we are watching is that they want to control the alignment and this is their own mistake for example when we are seeing effective participation they are asking for that for any or any decision of the central government we should covered least one positive turkish cypriot vote if you will find another system all over the world in any other country where the

central government in order to do cite they have to have a positive vote let's take the example of belgium of germany or whatever if you will find the central government better lean in order to decide they have to have a positive bold throw from from from some of the other communities and yes we or eventually it will work but they have accepted i have accepted. according to their own we have already agreed that there are none encroachments quote that the central government will never intervene in the internal affairs of each one of the two constituent states neither one constituent state might intervene in the internal affairs of the central government or in the affairs of the other state and what they have put on the table is that i am ready to accept your positive vote in case the central government we take it is she's run which might detrimental

interest. of the of your own community in such a case you will have the right but in any case we have to find an effective. deadlock solving machinery for the functioning of the state to be blocked by these positive about what you're asking actually is to have the right to veto on every and each one of the decisions the central government is called upon to take let's talk a little bit about hydrocarbon exploration you've invited foreign companies to come and explore for gas and natural resources in the eastern mediterranean wouldn't it make more sense though mr president to start that kind of exploration once you've resolved all the conflict over this country so that also prints can benefit we have a pretty rich conversions as i gotz the. exploitation of the natural resources that i know what you understand you listen to

stuff or even the voice is an anchor and they say there is no agreement talk and for god's sake i mean if they will use excuses not to intervene in the soaring rights of the republic it's another thing but we have made it clear and i have made a lot but where i am they say these all these countries there are a number of countries which have claims to this common area of water and they say that this needs to be resolved first you do says well if you listen to the statements coming from turkey if you are from turkey guess because their keys are serving their own interest not the interest of that of the turkish cypriot unfortunately what he's looking for is to become. their absolute right to do so or do looking for such it to become the energy up of europe and this is what they are trying to. so doesn't it make sense to reassign

a time to look let's say what we have agreed with our capacity would and i haven't made a written statement in spite of convergence is because there is a convergence of breaking and by which. these are converging wars or providing the decisions with regard to the maritime areas territorial sea continues the zone continental shelf and exclusive economic zone as defined by the united nations convention on the law of the sea of one nine hundred eighty two will constitute a federal court be dense in the united cyprus remains valid i mean this was remain valid and it has been compliant but the addition of the northern separate foreign minister could have had others say only a few days ago he characterized directivity as unilateral drilling he says authorities in the north might start their own exploration and drilling in waters

which they control if you don't stop as they see unilaterally this is an acceleration this is a threat so what is next here is where nobody is aeration resolve the issue and then explore how do you how do you respond and we get we for four years now we are negotiating to find a solution and the point issue has never been on the table because it has been agreed and therefore we took steps to prove that we mean business and they have made a clear statement not only because there is a convergence but the natural resources that belonging to that state. and to all legitimate people of cyprus a go to these are great quarter disciplines bear in mind exploration issue and think expectations and i think from exploring our of what we are doing we are exploring our it we know we're only exclusive economic zone if there is such

a wealth in order to fill the moment we will be able to exploit eight this wealth it might take five seven or ten years if there is a good will we do in this time we can easily find a solution for cyprus question but in any case even without a solution we know how to protect not only the quick but the turkish cypriots as well but to put as a precondition that we have first and why they raise it now after forty forty years or after so many other explorations why they are raising it from their perspective they say you know they don't want basically what amounts to an iou or a promissory note while no revenue no salary to be so you know they would like all citizens of cyprus to benefit from any wealth that has a principle you agree on then we mean business we are not the ones we should keep

going the properties of the other community because they don't see it that way though i'm sure where they have a very close eye on the northern part they think that the they it was always a belonging to them don't forget that after the invasion they're occupying the properties of the greek cypriots and this is the behavior we have to count we have done anything against the you see but it. we don't want to. get advantage of what they are entitled to but that's precisely the point mr president they see that their unilateral expiration is not only nothingness which they are really trying to make a government of the republic of cyprus which is internationally recognized their own which will come to participate in the government on the issue of eggs on mobiles expiration have they begun their activities the exploration drillings well let's call it any work in the eastern mediterranean as

a very is there anything during the next days i understand in the coming it's not going to be the readings are going to be an investigation about. the environment suitability suitability and so one has any of that started this project not here i think within these days within a few days are you confident that they will be able to carry out their work that you have given them a concession to do i do hope so that it will refrain from any or any horse trailer why are you confident they will be able to you know i'm not confident i'm saying what i want to happen if we want to beat up. a couple koocher with our thirty super express and out of work. plot has never been very vocal by turkey that is belonging to the republic of cyprus they are saying that it was belonging to egypt. and with an

agreement with egypt plot ten is belonging according to the international law to the cyprus republic your friend your two thousand and thirteen agreement with egypt four years right have you asked any u.s. authorities to help ensure that eggs and we'll be able to carry out its activities . which deliberations with the governments with the company the company has its own program they have to but only if you made earlier blake asians u.s. is a superpower has a very big navy part of that now people are interested in many rewards. and military interventions by anybody but it's up to the united states to protect their own interests but have you asked them at all i mean it would cross my mind if i was in your position you have a company from a superpower you have a superpower navy sure that we have done whatever it is necessary to be done in

order to succeed to the energy program of the republic i don't to put you in a hard position with all due respect that sounds like a diplomatic way of giving the indication that that's again all we have let me put it this way have you received any assurances from u.s. authorities that they will make sure eggs in can do the job no we haven't asked such guarantees and we haven't received search or identities it's the company who is doing whatever. they thought and probably appropriate in order to succeed to. progress and their ability issues of courting to. the license they've got. even if you haven't asked the u.s. side you have expectations from the u.s. navy that they will take measures my expectation is that test our core part that they would realize that the most important and the most there is to find a lasting viable solution by which we shall have

a functioning state and repeating it a lot of times this is the best way to find a solution as regards to the hydrocarbons which is included of course in the solution because by solving the problem all of these are belong or a are could be dense as belonging to the central government i do hope that. the turkey will be benefited out of such a solution we have no reason why not to sell to we have no reason why not to be friends with we want a friendly neighbor country and not. we are supporting the turkey's accession to europe we on that point will you will you disrupt the orvieto the upcoming meeting between there is no e.u. officials and turkey on the twenty sixth of model to a long area or what has happened now is that in. joining the.

european council they will evaluate this standard set and then we shall decide i mean the european council will decide if there are no violations or even they are in framing from illegal acts and they mean illegal acts violating the international law i was only talking specifically about turkish naval activities in the eastern mediterranean so there is a kind of a link there is kind of like a threat hanging over it is quite clear by a statement made by mr. to the president of the european comps right how disruptive have the activities of the turkish navy been to your efforts to explore resources in the eastern mediterranean has it impacted your efforts has it shut it now will do it hasn't changed our work then a program but in the last month italian firm you were not able to carry out the work they were able to do to intervention by the turkish. make does not represent

a problem in a minute ago you told me you're not you can't say you're confident that eggs and is going to be able to carry out its no i haven't said so just now i was the meaning that the actions by ted right but they do believe that it is not the same but if you how do you say to investors come and explore for resources if you're not one hundred percent confident that they will be able to explore here for the sort of resources your rebuttal will be leaving their turkey will never. they will refrain from acting as they are acting they don't think that it is to their best interest either that or the turkey soup it sort of the. turkey side but we have the sobering sobering grades and all we are going to exercise them and i do believe that we'll cut it out the program on us it has been planned right now as from what i've been able to gather so he has

a frigate the barber us it's got three corvette vessels or ships in regional waters the us has the era jima russia has a nuclear powered submarine in the area the israelis are conducting war games the americans are watching the russians the russians are watching everybody else is in the eastern mediterranean becoming far too tense and risky for commercial activity that's why you don't want to. provoke. that's why we are trying to be quite cool and to see how the through the diplomatic challenge sure we can channels we can find a peaceful solution and to. of course continuing to implement energy program we don't want to. talk to anybody or to affect the interest especially while compartments and i'm quite clear on that it

does not belong to the galaxy but it it belongs to the people of cyprus and the people as cyprus is consisting of the a cheating mate communities allegedly made residents that these are great quarter disappears knickers honest as they are this president of the republic of cyprus thank you so much for talking to our visitors thank you very.

for the benefit of saddam people. so bad to see be important for our cars. witness documentaries that open your eyes. at this time on al-jazeera. taking you live to the russian capital moscow like him a christian is speaking addressing a rally to celebrate the fourth anniversary of the annexation of crimea and of course this coincides with the presidential votes in russia that was seen people rallying waving flags chanting and also a few musical numbers that. to commemorate the anniversary but at present speaking now. you know but it's the national team but. this is their kitchen.