AKEL C.C. Press Office, 28 May 2019

The statements made by the Chairman of the US Congress Foreign Affairs Committee Eliot Engel, following the meeting he had yesterday with the President of the Republic, are very revealing about what the intentions of the US are in our region. The goal of the US in the region is to counter"Russia’smalevolent machinations", as he said characteristically. Indeed, he interconnected the issue with “looking for friends who share our core values”,referring to Cyprus and Israel.

As far as Turkey’s actions in the Eastern Mediterranean are concerned, despite being asked, he did not find a single word to say on the matter. His silence was absolute.

Mr. Engel's statements have come to increase the questions that exist on what the Anastasiades-DISY government is actually discussing with the US. The government must finally provide convincing answers.