The peaceful reunification of Cyprus would resonate well beyond the island, and Cyprus would serve as an inspiration for others who wish to define a new future after a painful past, the new Ambassador of the United States of America in Cyprus, Kathleen Ann Doherty,said at a formal ceremony, during which she presented her credentials to Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades.
Doherty noted that the US commends Anastasiades` leadership and efforts to reach a just and comprehensive settlement that will reunify the country, stressing that as a friend to Cyprus, the United States is ready to assist.
Referring to the US-Cyprus relations, the Ambassador said that the Republic of Cyprus is a valued friend and partner of the United States. “I am committed to advancing our bilateral relationship and to promoting peace, security, and prosperity in the region and beyond. By working together, we can continue to make progress on fighting terrorism, preventing proliferation, protecting human rights, combating human trafficking, strengthening law enforcement, and improving maritime security. We will continue to look for new ways to cooperate on issues of great importance to Cyprus, the United States, and the region,” she noted.
Furthermore she added that “our countries’ growing economic ties are further evidence of our strong relationship and represent a concrete example of our confidence in the tremendous progress that Cypriots have made in recovering from the economic crisis. I will strongly encourage U.S. businesses to come to Cyprus, see its potential, and become a part of its bright future and growing economy. At the same time, progress on a comprehensive solution of the Cyprus problem would have an even more positive impact on the entire island’s economy,” Doherty noted.
On his part, Anastasiades referred to the ongoing UN-led negotiations on the Cyprus problem, noting that “during this new negotiating round, progress has been achieved in a number of issues on almost all chapters of the Cyprus Problem. However, on other substantive issues there are significant differences that need to be resolved. Differences that, in order to be resolved, would require Turkey’s active and determined contribution, considering that its occupation forces still remain in the northern part of our country.”
“I hope and expect that rhetoric assurances of Turkey’s desire to reaching a settlement will be at last tested in practice, through the adoption of concrete steps that will positively underpin the negotiating process and correspond to the climate of hope prevailing in the island,” he stressed.
He noted that “following the non-renewal of actions, which violated the exercise by the Republic of Cyprus of its sovereign rights within its Exclusive Economic Zone, and the change in the leadership of the Turkish Cypriot community, a window of opportunity has opened that has revived our hope that the new round of negotiations, which resumed this past May, will lead to the comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem.”
“A hope that is based on my conviction that both I and the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr. Mustafa Akinci, share the same political courage and resolve to decisively move forward, in order to materialize the joint vision of our people, who desire the solution of the Cyprus problem through a viable, lasting and functional settlement,” he added.
“A settlement, in full conformity with the values and principles of both the Charter of the United Nations and the EU acquis, the High Level Agreements between the leaders of the two communities of 1977, and 1979, as well as the Joint Declaration of February 11, 2014.
A settlement that will lead to the evolution of the Republic of Cyprus to a federal state, based on a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation with political equality, as set out in the relevant Security Council Resolutions, with a single international legal personality, a single sovereignty and a single citizenship, in line with the principles upon which the European Union is founded, and ensuring the respect of human rights of all Cypriots,” he noted.
“A state that is and will continue to be a member of the UN, the EU, and numerous other international organizations and whose sovereignty, territorial integrity and constitutional order will not be constrained by anachronistic systems of guarantees by third countries and the presence of foreign troops in the island,” the President said.
Referring to the economy of Cyprus, he noted that the “shock therapy” imposed on Cyprus in 2013 was both unprecedented and questionable. But my government, given the circumstances, had no option but to implement the Adjustment Programme.
“Today, we are in a position to look forward to its successful completion within the next few months. We have learned valuable lessons the hard way. We still need to tackle significant challenges. And yet, we have used the crisis as an opportunity. An opportunity to pursue reforms, to enhance our competitive edge, to attract foreign direct investments with the ultimate goal of achieving sustained growth and prosperity for all Cypriots,” he added.
He noted that with the determination of the government, the resilience of key, productive sectors of the economy and the sacrifice and hard work of the Cypriot people, “we have achieved to permanently address fiscal imbalances, through growth-friendly consolidation; to have a restructured and fully recapitalized banking sector, mainly through big international investors; to return to the international markets much earlier than any other program country, and to undertake and implement radical structural reforms.”
With regard to the relations between US and Cyprus, he noted that “based on our shared values and principles of justice and peace, our two countries have over the years developed and established very cordial and warm relations, particularly when dealing with issues of global concern both bilaterally as well as in the multilateral framework. Cyprus-USA relations have notably progressed via the engagement of both our countries in the fight against terrorism, illegal drugs, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and development of nuclear weapons,” he noted.
He stressed that “the involvement of American companies in the exploitation of Cyprus’ hydrocarbon reserves marks a new era for our bilateral relations, one that will serve towards tightening the economic and commercial links between our two countries as well as towards expanding our investment ties and our cooperation in the fields of energy and energy security. ENI`s discovery of potentially the world`s largest natural-gas field off the Egyptian coast will be a game changer for the Eastern Mediterranean and for Cyprus, enhancing its strategic significance,” he noted.
Anastasiades expressed the eagerness of the government and himself personally “to work closely with you in order to explore new fields of cooperation as well as deepening and enhancing existing ones. Cyprus greatly values its relations with the USA and we always stand ready for cooperation and assistance, in various fields, for the mutual benefit of our countries and peoples,” he said, adding that “the United States of America is a highly valued partner for Cyprus and an important strategic and trade ally for the EU as a whole.”
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory. Anastasiades and Akinci have been engaged in UN-led talks since May this year, with a view to reunite the island under a federal roof.