On a visit to Australia this week, Cyprus’ Minister of Agriculture Nikos Kougiales told Neos Kosmos he is optimistic about the direction of current negotiations.

“We hope we’ll have a sincere and substantial talk, and I hope by the end of these talks something positive will happen for the Cyprus problem,” Mr Kougiales said.

The minister says the recent election of Turkish community leader Mustafa Akinci may be a game-changer in the ongoing discussions to find a resolution to ‘the Cyprus issue’.

“Mr Akinci has a very positive attitude. The way he behaves and what he has said the last month is positive, and it seems that he understands what happened in Cyprus in 1974; he understands the crime that happened against Greek Cypriots and I’m pretty confident that if he continues to behave the same way, that an agreement will be reached,” said Mr Kougiales.

Despite the agreement Greece has reached with its creditors, the state of Greece’s weakened economy has raised fears that the country’s perilous situation might impact Cyprus’ negotiating position within the United Nations, but it’s not a concern shared by the minister.

“Of course we always like Greece to be strong economically, but I don’t think this weakness of Greece will affect the negotiations.

“Greece is always there for Cyprus … always supports the negotiations … and Turkey has to do the same thing,” Mr Kougiales added.

With Cyprus’ own economy in huge difficulty two years ago, and faced with its own €10 billion bailout, the minister says he is confident that the tide has turned.

“I think the banking system and the economy are becoming stable now. Pretty soon we will get out of the financial support mechanism. We expect to see some higher rates of growth and I expect 2016 will be a good year for the Cypriot economy,” he said.

The minister’s first appearance down under took place in Sydney last Sunday, when Greek and Cypriot communities gathered to show their solidarity in a church service for the fallen of the 1974 invasion.

Following a visit to South Australia, the minister was due to attend a demonstration scheduled for yesterday evening at the Victorian Parliament, followed by a candlelight vigil.

Events marking the 41st anniversary of the Turkish invasion which the minister will attend have been organised nationwide by the Pan-Australian Justice for Cyprus Coordinating Committee (PASEKA).

Constantinos Procopiou, president of PASEKA, said the rallies and other ceremonies across Australia not only paid tribute to those who lost their lives in the invasion, but were a demonstration “against the continuing occupation of Cyprus, and a show of our support to the struggle for freedom”.

Tomorrow a liturgy will take place at the church of Saint Efstathios in South Melbourne, followed by a protest march at 12.30 pm commencing and ending on the steps of the Victorian parliament.