Athens, Feb 2 (IANS) Nicos Anastasiades, outgoing President of Cyprus, urged a functional and viable solution to the Cyprus problem during his visit here on Wednesday.Anastasiades, who is not a candidate in the presidential elections this Sunday, thanked Greece for its steady support to efforts to resolve the long-standing problem."I think we have adequately shielded Cyprus, so that it can negotiate a solution that is functional and viable," he said during his meeting with Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the country's national news agency AMNA reported.Nicosia sought a solution that would be beneficial to both the Greek and the Turkish Cypriot communities, "thus contributing to peace prevailing," he said.Cyprus was partitioned when Türkey sent troops to intervene in the island's northern part in 1974 in response to a coup staged by the military rulers of Greece at the time, Xinhua news agency reported.Several UN-led efforts to negotiate an agreement for the divided island have been inconclusive to date.The two leaders also visited Mati, a coastal resort near Athens that was scorched by a wildfire in July 2018, which left more than 100 dead and hundreds homeless.Cyprus has donated 10 million euros ($10.91 million) for the construction of some 100 apartments, as well as the creation of a park. Works are still underway there."Working closely together in solidarity we support each other," Anastasiades said.Mitsotakis thanked him "for this gesture, which contributes to efforts to heal the wounds caused by this huge catastrophe". (1 euro = $1.09)
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