Press Releases

The President of the Republic, Mr Nicos Anastasiades, received yesterday, Thursday 26 July 2018, at a formal ceremony at the Presidential Palace, the credentials of the Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See to the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Monsignor Leopoldo Girelli.

Presenting his credentials, Monsignor Girelli said:

“Mr President,

It is my honour and pleasure to present to Your Excellency the Letters of Credence as Apostolic Nuncio to the Republic of Cyprus, as well as the Letters of Recall of my predecessor.

In this auspicious occasion I sincerely convey the respectful and cordial greetings of His Holiness Pope Francis to Your Excellency and - through you - to all people of Cyprus.

I have the privilege to be the 8th Apostolic Nuncio accredited to the Republic of Cyprus, since the establishment of the diplomatic relations with the Holy See in 1973.

For the past 45 years, the Holy See and the Republic of Cyprus enjoy a continuous growth of friendly relations, which in 2010 was marked by the historical visit of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI to Cyprus and in 2014 by the visit of Your Excellency to His Holiness Pope Francis.

Likewise, in November 2016 H.E. Msgr. Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for the Relations with States of the Holy See, visited Cyprus and - few months ago, in October 2017 - the Hon. loannis Kasoulides, Minister of Foreign Affairs, reciprocated it in visiting the Vatican City.

The Holy See and the Republic of Cyprus experience excellent relations and cooperation in the various areas of supporting peace, inter-religious dialogue and human values. Both the Holy See and the Republic of Cyprus can find common ground to build a better world especially in the Middle-east by enhancing reconciliation and peaceful coexistence.

Since the Apostles Paul and Barnabas brought the Christian message to these shores, Cyprus has been blessed by a strong Christian heritage. The Catholic Church is part of it from the 7th and 8th century, when communities of Maronites and Latins were established. In 1219, the humble and prophetic St. Francis of Assisi arrived at the Cyprus' coasts and 800 years after, Franciscans are still very much present.

Throughout the history the Catholic Church contributed to the Cypriot society in the fields of education, health, welfare, solidarity and by upholding mutual understanding, justice and freedom. I am pleased to acknowledge how nowadays this contribution is welcomed as valuable by Your Excellency and the Government, as well as how the Catholic Church is equitably recognized in the Country.

Even though the Catholic presence is small in number, Catholics participate positively to the social and political life of the Country, being in harmonious and collaborative relationship with all the communities living on this island.

Your Excellency, being part of Europe, Cyprus contributes to the continuing development of the European Union by promoting reconciliation, dialogue and inclusiveness. Not only for its geographic position but also for its civilization, history and culture Cyprus is the bridge between the European Continent and the Middle-east.

The Holy See is well aware of the unresolved issue that since 1974 is a source of sufferings and division, and commends the commitment with which Your Government is working for a possible solution. At the end of his visit, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI said the following meaningful and passionate words: Surely truth and reconciliation, together with respect, are the soundest foundation for the united and peaceful future of this island, and for the stability and prosperity of all her people. ... Let me encourage you and your fellow citizens to work patiently and steadfastly with your neighbors to build a better and more certain future for all your children.

Mr President, all efforts to achieve the aims of a peaceful and lasting solution are earnestly welcomed and be assured that they are supported by my prayers and actions.

May God bless You and all Cypriots, and give you all noble, upright, and steadfast courage in seeking peace for this most beautiful island.”

Receiving the credentials, the President of the Republic said:

“Your Excellency,

It is with great pleasure that I receive today the Letters of Credence by which His Holiness Pope Francis appoints you as the Apostolic Nuncio to the Republic of Cyprus. On this occasion, I would like to assure you that the Government of the Republic of Cyprus and I personally look forward to a close co-operation with you, in order to promote further the bilateral relations between the Holy See and the Republic of Cyprus.

The Republic of Cyprus and the Holy See have a long history of friendly bilateral relations and cooperation. This year marks the 45^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Cyprus and the Holy See.

Indeed, I am very pleased to attest to the excellent level of our bilateral relations which are long-standing and established on a solid base. We have very vivid memories of the historic Apostolic Journey to Cyprus in 2010, the first ever visit by a Catholic Pope to our country. Let me assure you of our commitment to further strengthen and deepen these relations.

We also now have before us, shared tasks, goals and challenges, which add to the necessity of further intensifying our cooperation on issues of mutual interest.

Cyprus shares many of the foreign policy priorities of the Holy See which are of ecumenical significance: the protection of Human Rights and the rights of Christian minorities, particularly in the Southern Neighborhood, combating human trafficking, empowering the young generation with education, promoting interfaith dialogue as a peace tool and protecting our global religious heritage, are only but a few examples.

We are greatly concerned about the situation of the Christian communities in The Middle East. In this respect, we welcome and strongly support the forceful statements of Pope Francis condemning the prosecution and violation of human rights of the members of these communities. We consider the Christian communities, which have had an active presence in The Middle East for millennia, as an essential constituent of the human geography of the region.

Excellency,

As you know, Cyprus still suffers the consequences of the illegal Turkish occupation of more than one third of its territory and the destruction of its unique, age-old cultural and religious heritage. We count on the support of the Holy See in our efforts to preserve our religious and cultural landscape from intentional destruction and indifference.

With a renewed mandate by the people, my top priority remains none other than addressing the unacceptable current state of affairs with the continuing Turkish occupation of 37% of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus, since there is no doubt that lasting peace and stability can only be achieved through the comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem.

To this end, on numerous occasions, I reiterated in the clearest terms to the UN Secretary-General, our partners in the EU, the Permanent and non-Permanent Members of the Security Council and the international community in general, that I remain strongly committed to resuming the negotiating process.

What is of course required is to create those necessary conditions that will allow the dialogue to resume on the basis of good will and constructive stance from all stakeholders, particularly by the Turkish side, in order to safeguard the positive outcome of the negotiations.

The above-mentioned were reiterated during my recent fruitful meeting with the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General, during which I also stressed that I remain sincerely committed to negotiate a solution within the framework set by the Secretary-General, as clarified on July 04, 2017, with the same determination and positive attitude we have demonstrated since the beginning of the dialogue. Within this context, I do hope that the meetings of the special envoy of the United Nations which will soon take place with all other interested parties and stakeholders involved will allow the Secretary-General to be in a position to resume negotiations.

Taking this opportunity, I wish to remind that the failure of the Conference on Cyprus in July 2017 was precisely due to Turkey’s insistence on its long-standing position in maintaining the continuation of the anachronistic system of guarantees, the unilateral right of intervention, and the permanent presence of Turkish troops.

I also wish to remind that our side submitted comprehensive written proposals for each and every one of Mr Guterres six-point framework, including on a new security architecture that would replace anachronisms and the strategic aspirations of third countries against Cyprus.

Having said the above, at the same time we should also not ignore the remaining significant differences on the other chapters of the Cyprus problem. Differences that can be easily resolved by adopting and respecting what is considered as our obligation: The European acquis.

It is only through adhering to these fundamental principles which determine that a member state of the United Nations and the European Union cannot be considered truly independent and sovereign if it is not free of any third country dependencies, that we can truly establish the conditions for prosperity and peaceful co-existence between all the citizens of Cyprus, in an environment of safety and stability.

I truly wish that both our Turkish Cypriots compatriots and Turkey will respond positively to the new prospect that is presented again upon us, taking into account in a comprehensive manner and without being selective, the provisions set by the Secretary-General at the Conference in Crans Montana.

I wish to reassure you, once again, of my determination to work tirelessly to reach a comprehensive settlement that will finally reunify our island after 44 years of division, ensuring conditions of safety for the future generations of Greek and Turkish Cypriots, without any third country military troops or guarantees. A settlement that will satisfy the genuine desire of our people, especially of the younger generations, to live together and peacefully co-exist, collaborate and prosper in a European country which fully respects their fundamental human rights and freedoms.

And aside the obvious fact that the solution of the Cyprus problem would be first and foremost to the benefit of all Cypriots:

(i)            On a regional level it would turn Cyprus into a model-country of stability and predictability and would amplify Cyprus’ role as a security provider in one of the most turbulent areas of the world.

(ii)          At a European level, it would end the oxymoron of having one of its member-states being divided, while it would also positively reinforce EU-Turkey’s relations and the overall security architecture of the EU.

(iii)         Last, but not least, the solution of an international problem which has been on the agenda of the United Nations in the last decades, will offer a beacon of hope that even the most intractable problems can be solved peacefully through the United Nations.

Taking into consideration the aforesaid, Excellency, and in expressing the deep appreciation of the Government and the people of Cyprus for the support of the Holy See to our continuous efforts to reach a just, viable and comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem, in line with the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions and the EU law, values and principles, please allow me to stress the importance in exerting Your influence, individually and through multilateral fora, to Turkey in order to revisit its intransigent positions and demands that are not in line with Cyprus’s capacity as a member state of the EU, so as to create sound prospects of achieving an overall agreement.

Your Excellency,

During the past few years we have succeeded in turning an economy in distress into a story of strong economic recovery that gained international praise. The positive repercussions of an ambitious reform programme and the careful management of state finances are being reflected through, among others, successive budget surpluses, a dynamic growth rate of 4%, a drastic reduction in unemployment, consecutive upgrades of our economy by international rating agencies, as well as a significant reduction in taxation.

At the same time, despite the economic difficulties we have faced, our country’s comparative advantages not only remain intact, but have been further enhanced and expanded. These include one of the most competitive corporate tax rates, a significant network of Agreements for Avoidance of Double Taxation, a highly qualified and professional workforce and a fully EU harmonised tax and legal system.

The combination of the above, in conjunction with the reforms in the public sector and the enhancement of the tax and legal frameworks, resulted in renewed substantial investments in a wide range of sectors. The operation of oil and gas giants in our Exclusive Economic Zone, the licensing of the first integrated casino resort with an investment of more than half a billion euro, an impressive 18% annual increase in investment funds’ registration, the record numbers of the tourism industry in both arrivals and revenue and the commercialization of the Limassol port, it is evident that our efforts have borne fruit.

The challenge now is to keep up the momentum and ensure that Cyprus remains on a path of sustainable growth. To this end, maintaining the reform momentum is imperative. The entire planning for the years 2018-2023 is a continuation of everything we achieved during my first term in office. With this in mind, we will continue consultations with the parliamentary parties with a view to gain their support for our reforms programme, in the fields of public service, education, health, the judiciary system and e-governance.

We also aim to continue with the policy of tax reductions and provide new incentives, in order to further boost entrepreneurship and attract new investments, with emphasis placed on innovation and start-ups. The new Investment Law to fast-track licensing procedures for large investments and the establishment of new enhanced investment funds framework, are crucial steps in this direction.

At the same time, the newly-established Deputy Ministry of Shipping offers substantial support and attention to the already thriving maritime sector of Cyprus and we have no doubt that the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, planned to be operational by January 1^st of 2019, will enhance even further the growing tourist industry. Most importantly, we will continue to invest in our people and work with determination and passion to drive change, progress and prosperity in our country.

Your Excellency,

In welcoming you to Cyprus, I wish you every success in the performance of your duties and I assure you that you can count on the support of my Government and myself. On this occasion, I would like to ask you to convey my warmest greetings to His Holiness Pope Francis.”

(RM/AH/II)