Press Releases

Ιt is an honour for me to be here today, representing the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Christodoulides who is currently abroad, to celebrate the occasion of the name day of His Holiness Pope Francis. The year 2019 is a milestone and a connecting element of Saint Francis of Assisi with our island, as it marks 800 years since the visit of the Saint to Cyprus. Saint Francis brought to Christianity the idea of poverty against luxury, pride and vanity. Indeed, these ideas and values are most relevant today than ever before.

The Republic of Cyprus and the Holy See share excellent bilateral relations, tied by strong bonds of friendship and history. Cyprus shares many of the foreign policy priorities of the Holy See, which are of ecumenical significance: combating human trafficking, empowering the young generation with education, promoting interfaith dialogue as a peace tool and protecting our global religious heritage and the situation of the Christian communities in the troubled region of the greater Middle East.

Your Excellency,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Today’s occasion offers me the opportunity to express my appreciation for the principled position and support of the Holy See and personally His Holiness Pope Francis to our efforts to reach a viable and comprehensive settlement on the basis of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation, in line with international and EU Law, that will reunite Cyprus, whilst ensuring that it remains a functional and effective EU Member State.

In order for negotiations to resume, however, Turkey must first cease all illegal and provocative activities within the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Republic of Cyprus, which are in flagrant breach of international and European law and the sovereign rights of the Republic. Unfortunately, the signs are not positive in this respect, as Turkey has systematically chosen instead to escalate its provocations even further. We sincerely hope that Ankara will, sooner rather than later, realize that it is also in her own interests to start acting in accordance with International Law.

Your Excellency,

Let me assure you of our Government’s strong commitment to further enhance our cooperation to the mutual benefit of our countries and our people. In this respect, the President of the Republic of Cyprus will embark on an official visit to the Holy See, in the next few weeks, another example of the amicus relation between Cyprus and the Holly See.

I raise my glass to the genuine friendship between the Government and the people of Cyprus and the Holy See.

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RM/AM/SCH