Press Releases

The President of the Republic, Mr Nicos Anastasiades, received the credentials of the Ambassador of Romania, Mr Sorin-Dan Mihalache, during a formal ceremony held at the Presidential Palace on Friday, 27 August 2021.

Receiving the credentials, the President said:

“Excellency,

It is with distinct pleasure that I receive today your Letters of Credence appointing you as the new Ambassador of Romania to the Republic of Cyprus. Please accept my sincere congratulations for your appointment and my warmest wishes for every success in your important work. I would like to assure you that my Government, and I personally, will provide you with every assistance deemed necessary in the performance of your high duties.

Cyprus and Romania maintain excellent bilateral relations, based on mutual respect and understanding. We share common goals and aspirations in a number of important areas, ranging from foreign policy issues, to human rights and multilateral cooperation. Our two countries have developed and established relations of concrete substance and trusting dialogue, based on our shared democratic values for justice and peace, evident through our membership and close cooperation in the European Union, the United Nations and other international fora.

The extensive contacts between our two peoples strengthens our dialogue and collaboration in a practical way, thus establishing a successful social link between our countries, which continues to thrive due to the sizeable active community of Romanians who live and work in Cyprus, as well as to the Cypriot student community who attends or have graduated from Romanian universities.

Excellency,

Cyprus and Romania, as close partners within the EU, have developed an excellent level of communication and cooperation in an effort to reach common goals derived by our European agenda. I am certain that both our countries will continue to work closely together in addressing jointly and effectively the challenges faced by our common European family today. In this respect, I take this opportunity to reiterate once again our gratitude to Romania for its continuous support and solidarity towards Cyprus within the European Union.

Your Excellency,

I would like to take this opportunity and express my deep appreciation for Romania’s principled stance on the Cyprus issue and your consistent support on our efforts to reach a lasting and comprehensive settlement, based on the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.       

During the recent informal meeting for Cyprus in Geneva, I exerted every effort to achieve a breakthrough that would permit the start of meaningful negotiations on the agreed basis and from where the negotiations were left off in Crans Montana.

Unfortunately, the demands of Turkey and Mr. Tatar - as officially stated in the paper they submitted in Geneva - for the recognition of the sovereign equality and of the equal international status of the “trnc” put a stumbling block in our efforts to achieve the desired breakthrough.

Despite the setback, we maintain our commitment and decisiveness to continue and to enhance our efforts until Turkey is persuaded to change course and align with the agreed UN framework and the decisions of the European Union.

As regards the issue of Varosha, we strongly condemn the recent announced decisions and series of illegal actions undertaken by Turkey. These actions and provocations are contrary to all relevant UN Security Council resolutions, including its latest resolution 2587 (2021) and the Presidential Statements of 23 July 2021 and 9 October 2020, in which the Security Council reaffirmed the status  of  Varosha  as  set  out  in  relevant  resolutions,  including  Resolutions  550 (1984)  and 789 (1992), expressed its deep concern and condemned the unilateral announcements by Turkish and Turkish Cypriot leaders, on 20 July 2021, on the further reopening of a part of the fenced-off area of Varosha that run contrary to its previous resolutions, and called for the immediate reversal of this course of action and the reversal of all steps taken on Varosha since October 2020.

Excellency,                                                            

In closing, I wish to assure you once again of my Government’s full support in the discharge of your important duties, and while welcoming you to Cyprus, I would kindly request that you convey to His Excellency President Iohannis my warmest greetings and a message of friendship and solidarity.

Ambassador Sorin-Dan Mihalache, I warmly welcome you to Cyprus”.

(NG/SCH)