Press Releases

The President of the Republic, Mr Nikos Christodoulides, addressing the event “Memories of occupied lands”, referred to the 40^th somber anniversary of the illegal declaration of the secessionist entity in the Turkish-occupied areas of Cyprus, the violation of the UN Security Council Resolutions 541 and 550, of the European values and principles and the of international law.  He reiterated that Cyprus remains commited to the reunification of Cyprus and its people, Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Armenians, Latins and Maronites, with sovereignty and territorial integrity, free of dependencies and systems of guarantees.   

In his speech, President Christodoulides added: “The outcome of our struggle reflects on the international community itself, which has an obligation to uphold the high principles of international law, as it rightfully does in similar cases we are experiencing today with the illegal Russian invasion in Ukraine, no different from the illegal Turkish invasion in Cyprus. It is the responsibility of the international community to protect the freedom of peoples against all forms of conspirators and usurpers.”

President Christodoulides also referred to the dramatic events that take place in our neighbourhood, in Israel and Gaza. He stated that in this crucial time, the Republic of Cyprus “utilising its key geopolitical and geostrategic position, its excellent diplomatic relations both with Israel and the Arab world, with whom we have strong, long-standing ties, and as a member of the European Union bordering the region, seeks to play, within its capabilities, an active role in international efforts to create humanitarian corridors, aiming to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. We want our country to have a substantial contribution in addressing major crises, such as the one unfolding in the region. We want our country to be a bridge of peace and cooperation, to be a practical contributor to security and stability.”

The President reiterated his readiness for the resumption of negotiations and, through a dialogue based on relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, to reach a viable solution to the Cyprus problem.

As to the issue of the appointment of an envoy to explore and prepare the ground for the resumption of negotiations, the President said that this would be a significant development and that “on our side, we will do everything possible to make it successful”.

Concluding his speech, President Christodoulides stated that “on our part, we will do everything humanly possible to create the conditions for dialogue. We will seize every opportunity available to us to see our country reunited and we will exhaust every effort in that direction”.

(MS/ASP)