Press Releases

It is a great pleasure and a privilege to welcome you at the Presidential Palace today, to receive the Letters of Credence appointing you as the new Ambassadors of your countries to the Republic of Cyprus.

First and foremost, I would like to congratulate you on the assumption of your high duties and to assure you that both myself and my Government will provide you with all the necessary support in the fulfilment of your mission, in quest of serving our shared goal; to enhance the cooperation between our countries, both at the bilateral and multilateral level and to forge closer and mutually beneficial links between our peoples.

Excellencies,

Your appointment comes at a time of deeply significant developments in the region, in Europe and beyond. In this context and as I often explain, Cyprus holds a remarkable geopolitical footprint compared to its size. Cyprus has prioritised to capitalise on its strategic position, rendering itself a reliable actor for all our partners not only in the Middle East and Europe, but also internationally.

Through concrete and tangible actions, Cyprus substantiated itself as the lighthouse of the European Union (EU) in this volatile region. The implementation of the Amalthea maritime corridor, the well-established diplomatic bridges between Cyprus and several regional partners, as well as the high prioritisation of the Southern Neighbourhood in Cyprus’ agenda for the upcoming Presidency of the Council of the EU, echo the unique perspective that Cyprus offers as both an integral part of the region and as an EU member state.

At the same time, the reinforced presence of Cyprus in the EU decision-making process, the election of the Republic, for the first time in its history, as a member of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council, along with Cyprus’ accession to the International Organisation of La Francophonie as a full member and the launch of strategic dialogues with major geopolitical actors, such as the United States and the United Kingdom, mirror the very solid commitment of my Government towards our people; that of strengthening the role of Cyprus on all fronts, manifesting its role as a key enabler of stability and peace.

Excellencies,

Today’s ceremony takes place in the aftermath of the Geneva informal meeting, convened by the UN Secretary-General. Our solid political will and all concerted efforts have mainly contributed in the recent developments in the Cyprus problem. In this context, I wish to convey to all of you our sincere gratitude for the principled position of your respective countries to the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of Cyprus, as well as to our efforts to reach a lasting and viable solution, firmly anchored on the UN Security Council Resolutions.

Given this opportunity, I wish to reiterate that my absolute goal is no other than ending the half-a-century-long Turkish military occupation and reunifying my country and its people; making Cyprus a place that offers equal prospects of prosperity to all its legal inhabitants; delivering to the future generations a functional, normal state, without occupying troops and external dependencies.

And in this huge endeavour, we count on the support of the international community and on the support of your countries to reach a peaceful settlement in Cyprus that will constitute a clear and much needed message throughout our region, a message that peace and stability can and will prevail.

Dear Ambassadors,

Cyprus and Côte d'Ivoire share friendly relations based on common values and principles. I would like to extend our deep appreciation for Côte d'Ivoire’s consistent support for Cypriot candidatures across the UN system, clear evidence of the cooperation between our two countries. Cyprus stands ready to advance our relations both bilaterally and multilaterally, through our common membership at the United Nations and the International Organisation of the Francophonie, unlocking the full potential for a more active engagement.

We are particularly pleased for the decision of Turkmenistan to accredit, for the first time, an Ambassador to the Republic of Cyprus. Cyprus attaches great importance on enhancing the bilateral institutional framework between our two countries. At the same time, Cyprus is very much aware that Central Asia is an important EU partner with significant geopolitical relevance. In this context, we will persist in increasing the institutional dialogue and cooperation between the EU and Turkmenistan.

The excellent between Cyprus and Tunisia are based on our shared respect for international law alongside our steadfast commitment to regional peace, stability, and prosperity. To this end, we are keen to deepen our bilateral cooperation in specific fields of mutual interest. In addition, I strongly believe that both the framework of EU-Tunisia relations and our common membership in the Union for the Mediterranean allow us further avenues of cooperation for the sake of strengthened regional cooperation.

Dear Ambassadors,

It has always been my view that intensified dialogue, diverse diplomatic engagement, and bilateral and multilateral synergies constitute essential elements in addressing challenges and in promoting peace. Multilateralism is still our best tool to tackle the shared threats of the 21^st century. Therefore, reinforcing multilateralism and investing on strong regional and international partnerships is the path forward in order to secure that our shared values of peace, democracy, and the rule of law are upheld.

Allow me to once more congratulate you on your appointment and to express our readiness to work closely with all of you, towards achieving new heights of cooperation and friendship between our respective countries.

I warmly welcome you to Cyprus.

Thank you very much.

(ΝΖ/GS)