It is in the interests of Cyprus, as well as of the European Union, that reunified Cyprus is a modern state, fully in line with EU law, values and principles, that will offer the prospect of prosperity and peaceful co-existence for all its citizens and the best guarantee for the island and its people is the EU itself, President Nicos Anastasiades has said.
President Anastasiades received on Tuesday the credentials of the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Republic of Cyprus, Franz Josef Kremp who assured that his country supports the efforts towards a solution , hoping that they will continue and deliver the desired result.
“Germany has supported the negotiation process from the beginning, including by sharing relevant experiences of our own unification process. Germany will continue to stand ready to wholeheartedly support future efforts in this regard“, he said.
President Anastasiades expressed hope that Turkey, which is an occupying force in Cyprus since the 1974 invasion, with more than 40,000 occupation troops illegal stationed on the territory of the Republic of Cyprus, which is EU territory, will review its intransigent positions, “particularly in the areas of security and guarantees, and as regards demands that are not in line with Cyprus’s capacity as a member-state of the EU, so as to create sound prospects of achieving an overall agreement“.
The President underlined once again the Greek Cypriot side`s unwavering dedication to the reunification of the country, and the commitment to make every effort to reach a comprehensive settlement.
“We deeply regret that Turkey’s unwillingness to negotiate within the framework set by the UN Secretary General, and in particular Turkey’s intransigent stance on the key chapters of security and guarantees, and its insistence on maintaining guarantees, troops and intervention rights in reunited Cyprus, did not allow for positive outcome during the Conference on Cyprus in Crans Montana, Switzerland this past July“, President Anastasiades pointed out.
The latest round of UN-peace talks ended inconclusively on July 7 and all parties involved are in a period of recollection. Talks held under the auspices of the UN aim at reuniting Cyprus under a federal roof.
President Anastasiades made an extensive reference to what happened during the Conference in Crans Montana, under the UN auspices, pointing out that UNSG Antonio Guterres, set the framework within which the negotiations should proceed, for progress to be achieved on six thematic topics, including on the Chapter of Security and Guarantees and the issue of foreign troops.
“Acting within the framework of the UN Secretary-General, the Greek-Cypriot side submitted comprehensive proposals on all six thematic areas identified. Regrettably, the Turkish and Turkish Cypriot side submitted proposals, which are not only contrary to the ideas set by the UN, but which were contravene EU law, and the Charter of the United Natiοns“, the President said.
He particularly said that on 6 July the Turkish side rejected UN Secretary General’s prοposal to issue a press statement, which would have in fact recorded, among other points, the parties’ commitment to abolishing the current system of security and guarantees, and the termination of the so called rights of intervention.
“Instead, the Turkish Foreign Minister repeated Turkey`s traditional positions on maintaining a system of security and guarantees, and a permanent presence of troops in reunited Cyprus. Moreover, contrary tο the UN framework on territorial adjustments, Turkey steadfastly refused to address Greek Cypriot concerns.Ιt is, indeed, deeply disappointing that at a critical point in the process, when Turkey was called to prove in a tangible manner its rhetoric that it is committed to a solution, it merely repeated its well-known unacceptable positions“, the President said.
Receiving the credentials of the new Ambassador of Germany, President Anastasiades said that Cyprus and its people look to Germany as a friend and as a valuable European partner, to which they are bound by a tradition of intense political, economic and cultural relations and cooperation and by an ardent faith in the great ideals of democracy, human rights and the prevalence of rule of law.
“Our bilateral relations have been fast evolving in recent years, undoubtedly providing a solid foundation on which we can build so as to further deepen our close cooperation at multiple levels such as economy and investments, tourism, trade, education, technology, defence and security. In this respect, Cyprus fully appreciates the efforts undertaken by Germany, amongst others, through the work of the Goethe Institute which strengthens the dialogue and cooperation in a practical way between the people of our countries, and thus establishing a successful social link between Cypriots and Germans which continues to thrive“, he said.
The President highlighted the importance of the presence of the German contingent, responsible for the Maritime Task Force of UNIFIL, which has its base in the port of Limassol, as well as the bilateral political-military cooperation, which was established in the aftermath of the Lebanon crisis in August 2006, and has been developed over the years.
Furthermore, he added, the recent signing of an agreement to provide assistance and facilities to the Federal Government of Germany in case of evacuation to repatriate German citizens from the wider Middle East area, via Cyprus in case of a crisis, constitutes a very concrete example of our enhanced cooperation.
Presenting his credentials, the Ambassador said that the division of Cyprus has endured far too long, pointing out that his government appreciates the efforts made by him towards re-uniting the island as a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation.
“We remain convinced that a settlement of the Cyprus problem within the UN framework, in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions and in line with the principles on which the European Union is founded is first and foremost in the interest of the Cypriot people but furthermore would benefit the region, Europe and global stability in general. The recent negotiation process has brought us closer to this goal than ever before“, the Ambassador pointed out.
He pointed out that bilateral relations have always been excellent and continue to deepen and develop and the cooperation spans the fields of politics and economics, of business, culture and a multitude of other spheres. “Let me assure you that my prime aim is to foster and to enhance our bilateral relations in future even more and in very concrete terms“, he said.
The Ambassador said that Cyprus is both an island of stability in a region in turmoil and a close partner in the European Union adding that his government looks forward to increasing cooperation towards increasing stability in the eastern Mediterranean as well as to cooperating closely in addressing the challenges the European Union is facing today.
“Over the coming months and years essential decisions will have to be taken that will define how the European Union will look in the years to come. I am convinced that both our countries can contribute to this process to the benefit of the entire union and I will strive to increase our strong coordination in these efforts even more“, he said.
He also said that under President Anastasiades` leadership, the island`s economy has achieved an impressive turnaround and successfully implemented a challenging economic adjustment programme.
“Germany commends your Government on these important achievements and remains convinced that the lessons learned in this process are relevant for all of us in the European Union and particularly the Eurozone“, the Ambassador said.