Ministers and officials, addressing on Sunday memorial services for the heroes of the 1974 Turkish invasion and occupation, called for a fair and functional solution to the Cyprus problem that will ensure conditions of peace and security for the whole of the country.
In his speech, at the memorial service of the heroes of Xylofagou village, Minister of Communications, Transport and Works, Yiannis Karousos assured of the Greek Cypriot side and the President of the Republic’s determination for a fair, functional and viable solution.
Despite the President’s persistent efforts, he said, we are faced with the Turkish side’s intransigence and its refusal to return to the negotiating table for a fair solution on the basis of what has been agreed.
He also said that the Turkish side ignores the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, puts forward excessive demands and insists on its longstanding goal for a two-state solution with the presence of occupation troops and anachronistic guarantees, thus fully controlling the Turkish Cypriot side.
However, we are not scared by the provocative and intransigent position before us, he said adding that the President is taking the path of diplomacy and dialogue until the restoration of human rights and conditions of peace and welfare for all the people of Cyprus are achieved.
On his part, Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantelas expressed the government’s determination to continue the struggle until final justification
Addressing the memorial service of the heroes of the Letympou community in the Paphos district, he paid tribute to the five heroes for their services to the country and their sacrifice.
He also pledged determination to continue the struggle until justification and until the island is reunified with the end of the Turkish occupation.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Costas Constantinou, in his speech at the memorial service of the hero of Gerasa village, Savvas Savva, said “we are fighting for a Cyprus as our heroes would like it” by overturning the occupation and the people to decide and manage their fate without occupation armies and guarantees and intervention rights.
As he said, the most important issue is to demonstrate goodwill to achieve a lasting and sustainable solution to the Cyprus problem, which will ensure conditions of peace and security for the whole of the country, as well as conditions of cooperation and prosperity for all its inhabitants, without any external interventions and foreign interests.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, Andreas Louca, speaking during the memorial service of the heroes of Alambra village and those who are still missing since the Turkish invasion, said that together with efforts to ascertain the fate of all missing persons, the highest priority and national challenge remains the solution of the Cyprus problem.
The good will from our side cannot be called into question, Louca said adding this was repeatedly demonstrated by the stance and actions of the President of the Republic. All efforts, he added, impinge on the intransigent and negative stance of the other side and especially Turkey which recently escalated its unacceptable provocations both on land and in sea and is also questioning the sovereign rights of Greece in the Aegean.
Our goal remains for a free and reunified Cyprus, without occupation troops and guarantees and the intervention rights of other countries, with the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all lawful residents of our island safeguarded, he added.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.