Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades has reiterated his vision to reunify Cyprus, divided since the Turkish invasion of 1974 and for all refugees to be able to return to their homes.
President Anastasiades was addressing on Friday evening a joint CyBC and Pancyprian Union of Refugees event to mark 40 years since the Turkish invasion of Cyprus.
Through the collective efforts of everyone, he pledged, I will work to finally reach a solution which will rid our country from occupation, will reunify it and will restore human rights and fundamental freedoms of all our people, including the right of refugees to return to their homes.
He sent a message to both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, those who were displaced and those who were not, that the way to a solution will have to pass through reconciliation, mutual understanding and cooperation.
Mistrust constitutes one of the greatest hurdles on the way to a mutually acceptable solution, said President Anastasiades adding that unfortunately it has been nourished by a political environment created out of the horrors of war and the pain suffered in the past.
He called on everyone to ignore any unnecessary effort to incite bias and to stir passions of the past.
President Anastasiades promised to try and join forces in his effort with the political leadership of the island and that he expressed the hope to have the support of society itself.