Reunification of Cyprus can be a beacon of hope, President says
An independent and reunified Cyprus is of key importance for our region, Europe and the world, President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, said during his address at the 20th annual conference of the Economist magazine, that began on Thursday in Nicosia, noting that the reunification of Cyprus can be a beacon of hope for the region as well.
He also pointed out that Cyprus is a stable and reliable partner in an unstable region.
Referring to the Cyprus-US strategic dialogue, President Christodoulides said that “the preparation of a road map with specific deliverables in relation to the US is also underway, and more announcements and more positive developments are expected soon.”
Cyprus “an anchor of stability and security”
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Referring to the geopolitical challenges affecting the Eastern Mediterranean region and the wider Middle East and Europe, the President expressed the belief that “we are given the opportunity to lay the foundations for a new narrative, both for the EU and for our region”. He also spoke of “a narrative of peace, cooperation and security for our region, a narrative of more unity, more integration, strategic autonomy for the EU.”
He also noted speaking of the EU that “the time has come for us to take bold decisions that will allow us to develop the biggest and most important political project in modern European history into a stronger, more dominant and more coherent edifice.” He also stated that “the Republic of Cyprus sides with all those who are in favour of a more federal EU.”
Furthermore, he referred to the role that Cyprus can be an anchor of stability and security in a changing world and as the representative of the EU in the Eastern Mediterranean region and the broader Middle East. He pointed out that “the dominant narrative for years” is “that our region is seen as a region in perpetual turmoil”, underlining, however, that this is “an oversimplification that is easily resorted to by all those who do not really know the region in order to explain what is happening in this part of the world.”
Undoubtedly, said the President of the Republic, “the last year is a sad reminder that there are no frozen conflicts and that our region is once again in turmoil.” Nevertheless, he continued, “amidst the alarming escalation in the region, the possibilities for stabilisation and coordinated strategic action emerge stronger than ever,” adding that “in every crisis there are opportunities that we must seize.”
Subsequently, President Christodoulides expressed the belief that “the Eastern Mediterranean and the wider Middle East region has unique possibilities and perspectives, without exclusions, which can be used for the benefit of the security, cooperation and well-being of the peoples of the region.”
“After all, I had the privilege of seeing this cooperation in the region come to fruition and I know firsthand what the countries of the region can achieve when we come together around a common vision for the future of our region,” he said.
“The answer to crises is more cooperation”
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“Throughout our long history, geography has been a blessing but also a source of challenges for Cyprus,” said the President of the Republic, stressing that “through conscious and continuous effort we have succeeded in transforming our geographic position to a blessing”.
And now, he continued, “amidst regional turmoil, Cyprus is capitalising on its long-standing excellent relations with its neighbours in the wider Middle East and the Gulf, but also its status as an EU member state at its hard core, as a state with a clear western orientation.”
“There is no wavering in relation to the Western orientation of our country,” which is “a stable and reliable partner in an unstable region,” he pointed out. “We prove again and again, with actions and not words, that we are and can be part of the solution to the challenges of the region, as a pillar of stability and security,” he underlined.
“Our goal and basic principle of our foreign policy is to further strengthen this role of shaping solutions for the challenges of our region, using and consolidating the excellent ties that Cyprus has honestly and consistently built,” noted President Christodoulides, speaking of “substantial and valuable ties with a long-term perspective.”
“I always have the strong conviction that the answer to crises is more cooperation, more multilateralism and more dialogue,” stressed President Christodoulides. “We put this doctrine of our foreign policy into practice, we have given and continue to give this answer over the last year by providing humanitarian aid to Gaza,” he noted.
“Considering it as our obligation to the region, after the October 7 terrorist attack against innocent citizens, the Republic of Cyprus designed and handed over to the international community the sea corridor of “Amalthea”, as an additional passage for the provision of humanitarian aid to civilian population of Gaza that continues to suffer”, said the President of the Republic, pointing out that Cyprus worked closely with regional and international partners such as the United Arab Emirates and the United States.
Afterwards, President Christodoulides said that Cyprus has repeatedly acted as a regional hub for the evacuation of citizens in times of crisis. “We offer our region a safe bridge”, he noted, expressing his joy for Cyprus’ readiness to respond to the evacuation of nationals of more than 30 countries from the region.
“In the last year, we have dared and undertaken initiatives at the regional level and instituted strategic partnerships”, said the President of the Republic. “We have strengthened and continue to strengthen all the elements of our state’s strength” in matters of defence, security and economy. “The continuous upgrades of the Cypriot economy by all international rating agencies are an important component of our country’s strength,” he added.
“At the same time, we enhanced our country’s position within the EU and internationally, proving our role as a pillar of stability and security in the region,” he said, pointing out that “we have an internationally reliable and unwavering voice.”
A road map is being prepared for cooperation with the USA
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Referring to the first strategic dialogue between the United States and the Republic of Cyprus in Nicosia, President Christodoulides said that it was “confirmation of the upgraded strategic relationship between the two countries, but also of our common commitment to creating a future of security and cooperation in the region.”
“The path towards this strategic dialogue, which also paved the way for the meeting at the White House with the outgoing American President, on October 30, was the culmination of initiatives we undertook with the cooperation of countries in the region,” he stressed, pointing out that it is a “tangible benefit of the strengthened regional footprint of our country.” He also said that “the Republic of Cyprus is a predictable, stable partner of the US in the region.”
In addition to the strategic dialogue, he continued, “the preparation of a road map with specific deliverables in relation to the US is also underway, and more announcements and more positive developments are expected soon that will demonstrate this strategic cooperation in practice.”
“The EU must play an essential role in the Eastern Mediterranean”
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“The stability, prosperity and security of the Eastern Mediterranean region and the wider Middle East are inextricably linked to the security and stability of the European Union,” he said, pointing out that “the EU, now more than ever, especially at this juncture is called upon and must play an essential role in the region, thus strengthening its strategic autonomy.”
This, as President Christodoulides said, “presupposes its active involvement with the region and close cooperation with regional partners, with important actors in our region that are pillars of stability, such as Egypt and Jordan but also the Gulf countries”.
“The Republic of Cyprus, as the EU member state with the greatest geographical and historical proximity to the Middle East region, offers the EU a valuable regional perspective,” he underlined. “We are the first to realize the geostrategic importance of the region, which significantly affects key issues such as security, migration and energy.”
“The generative causes of major crises that we face in the EU are therefore located in this region”, he indicated, noting that “Cyprus has been trying to send this message to the EU for years.”
“Our message to Brussels in relation to the region is clear. The EU must play an essential role in the region. it cannot be content with the role of an observer, if it wants to achieve its strategic autonomy”, he underlined.
Speaking about the upcoming Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2026, President Christodoulides emphasised that “our aim is for the Cyprus Presidency of 2026 to contribute decisively and substantially to the strengthening of the EU’s relations with the countries of the wider Middle East and the Gulf.”
As he said, “among our plans is to host in Cyprus a meeting between the 27 member states, the institutions and the heads of all the countries of our region”. In this direction, he added, “we are already working with the institutions on specific initiatives that we will announce and that will have specific deliverables in the context of the presentation of our priorities for the Presidency”.
“It is time for a new narrative” in Cyprus
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Referring to the Russian aggression against Ukraine and the war in the Middle East, the President of the Republic emphasized that “in the absence of a lasting and sustainable peace, the risk of the eruption of new crises remains constantly present”, adding that “this is the painful lesson that History repeatedly teaches us in Cyprus”.
“The status quo in Cyprus cannot be a viable option, neither for our people nor for the EU and the region,” he pointed out.
Afterwards, he said that from the first moment of assuming his duties he set as his main priority the resumption of negotiations that were interrupted in the summer of 2017 and the reunification of the land and the people of Cyprus. “Through our efforts, through the proof by deeds and not by words of our clear political will – I am referring to our attitude towards our Turkish Cypriot compatriots, the unilateral measures of the Republic of Cyprus, our approach regarding the Euro-Turkish relations – we prove that we can and really want to create a new dynamic with the sole aim of resuming negotiations and resolving the Cyprus issue,” he said.
“These efforts also led us to the recent informal meeting in New York, held by the Secretary General of the United Nations, which created new dynamics for further positive developments, for which we are ready to work so that they bring positive results with the main goal being the resolution of the Cyprus problem,” he noted.
“It is time for a new narrative. An independent, reunified Cyprus, capable of maintaining and strengthening its role in the region, is of key importance for our region, for Europe, but also for the world,” stressed President Christodoulides. “The reunification of our country, the last divided and occupied EU member state and an occupied country in the Eastern Mediterranean region, could, among other things, be a beacon of hope for the region as well and, at the same time, send a resounding message of peace, cooperation and stability both in the region, in Europe and in the world”, he added.
“We will do everything possible to achieve this goal. We know very well what we want to achieve, we have a clear strategy how we will act”, he said, expressing optimism that “at the end of the day this goal is completely achievable”.