President Nicos Anastasiades assured here today that despite the current economic difficulties the country is facing, he is determined to work towards a viable and lasting settlement, ensuring that all the communities of Cyprus live and prosper in a modern European country that fully respects the principles and values of the United Nations and which safeguards the fundamental freedoms and human rights of all its citizens and their peaceful coexistence and prosperous cooperation.
In his address on the occasion of UN Day, the President said this would reflect in practice the government’s absolute respect and commitment to the values of the United Nations, which are being honoured today.
“It is my strong belief that the current status quo is unacceptable and its preservation would have further negative consequences for Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. Therefore, a comprehensive settlement is not only desirable, but should not be further delayed”, he added, according to an official press release.
He said he is certain that the reunification of Cyprus is not only in the interests of the people of Cyprus but also to the benefit of the entire international community, since a solution to the Cyprus problem will no doubt have a major domino effect on achieving and maintaining the necessary environment of stability, security and peace in our region.
“I reiterate that we are determined to rise to the challenge of this historic responsibility and exert every effort to offer a more stable, prosperous and conciliatory future in our immediate neighbourhood, and to provide a legacy to be remembered by future generations”, he noted.
President Anastasiades said that the non-implementation of the relevant resolutions and the inability of the international community to oblige Turkey to respect the rules and principles of international law and the UN Charter, contribute to the continuation of the gross violation of the rights and laws of Cyprus and its people as a whole.
“While fully respecting the principles and declarations of the United Nations, aiming at putting an end to the division and reuniting Cyprus, restoring the human rights of all citizens and creating conditions of peaceful coexistence and joint achievements of all the inhabitants of our country, I declare the determination to enter into a new round of negotiations leading to a viable and functional solution of the Cyprus problem”, he pointed.
“We believe that the UN, as the pre-eminent forum for the protection of the territorial integrity of states is able through the Good Offices of the Secretary-General, to reach a solution of the Cyprus problem, based on Security Council resolutions, a solution that will cure the source of the problem,” he pointed out.
“This is the only way to achieve a mutually acceptable solution”, he noted.
President said that the UN’s involvement in Cyprus may not have succeeded, so far, to solve our problem but it has certainly prevented the worst.
“It has kept the Cyprus issue alive on the world stage and prevents the legalisation of partition. Moreover, the involvement of the United Nations in the negotiations on the Cyprus problem stress the international dimension of the problem and eliminate any efforts to demote it to an intercommunal difference”, he added.
He also mentioned that the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus has performed, almost from the time of the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus, a supportive role in the efforts for a solution, while also contributing to the maintenance and restoration of law and order and providing humanitarian assistance to those affected by the consequences of the Turkish invasion.
“UNFICYP’s presence here, for almost half a century, is the best endorsement of the important and substantial assistance the United Nations Organisation provides to Cyprus. I wish to thank everyone: the United Nations; countries that have contributed troops or other assistance to Cyprus; and the UN representatives, for their valuable service to our country. Particularly, I wish to mention the 174 UNFICYP peacekeepers who lost their lives in the line of duty in our country”, he said.
Since its independence, he said, Cyprus has benefited substantially from other UN activities. Specifically, the UN Development Programme (UNOPS and then UNDP) helped the young Republic in its first steps towards economic and social development, through the provision of technical assistance and the implementation of its development programmes.
President Anastasiades said that the day will soon come when the fundamental principles of the United Nations will prevail over the relations between states and nations and mankind will experience in practice the vision of those who founded the United Nations Organisation.
He congratulate the United Nations Association of Cyprus and its Chairman on their undertakings and efforts to ensure that the objectives of the United Nations become embedded in each and every one of us and that it translates into our daily lives.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated UN-led efforts over the past decades have not led to a negotiated settlement in Cyprus. Renewed efforts are underway and talks are expected to resume in the coming weeks.
