The approach taken by the EU member states and representatives of the EU institutions during Thursday's Informal Foreign Affairs Council meeting "leaves us completely satisfied," Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis told the Cyprus News Agency (CNA). He also said that the importance of continuing the EU-Turkey dialogue, with a connection to the Cyprus issue, was acknowledged. Assessing Thursday's session in Brussels, which Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was invited to attend, the Spokesman said that the majority of EU members took a clear position. "The overwhelming majority of member states took a clear stance, and their position was within the framework of the Conclusions of the European Council last April and the United Nations Security Council Resolutions", the Spokesman stated. It was clearly and explicitly expressed by our European partners that the Cyprus issue is a fundamental parameter in the progress of EU-Turkey relations, and the constructive stance shown by the Republic of Cyp rus, including the invitation extended to the Turkish Foreign Minister to attend as a guest at this Informal Foreign Affairs Council, was acknowledged, he added. "The importance of continuing the EU-Turkey dialogue is acknowledged, but with a connection to the Cyprus issue," Letymbiotis underlined. He also said that the "Foreign Minister of the Republic of Cyprus clearly conveyed our positions and responded with absolute clarity, based on international legality, to the established positions of the Turkish side that were raised during the discussion. The Foreign Minister stressed that there can be no disconnection between the Cyprus issue and any progress that may be made on EU-Turkey relations". The spokesman said "as the Republic of Cyprus, we will continue to act constructively, seek and desire dialogue, and have complete confidence in the correctness of our positions". Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively. Source: Cyprus News Agency