Filenews 20 April 2022
Now it becomes even more urgent to take an initiative on the part of the EU, the UN, but also the US, which announced that they would like to see Turkey involved in the Mediterranean, so as to demarcate the exclusive economic exploitation zone between the Republic of Cyprus and Turkey, President Anastasiades stressed.
In statements to reporters after his visit to the camp "Sotos Hadjiprokopiou", in Tseri, the President of the Republic asked if our side, given its will to resume talks on the Cyprus issue, expects someone to give the signal for the start of a new process under the shadow of international developments such as the Ukrainian one, he said that "I have the impression that the Ukrainian crisis is being offered as an opportunity for Europeans, Americans, but also the UN to create conditions for outstanding problems, related to the causes of the Ukrainian war, to be resolved.
It is well known that the EU is asking for alternative energy sources; these energy sources are offered in the Levantine basin, in the Eastern Mediterranean, either from Israeli, Egyptian or Cypriot deposits, and not only, because the pipelines may help to help us also from the countries of the Arabian Gulf.
Therefore, it is the opportunity, if Mr Erdogan means what he said yesterday for the sake of impression, and I hope I may be proved wrong, to take initiatives. And it was my intention, in addition to the confidence-building measures, to propose that the EU should also take an initiative before the war. It is now all the more urgent that an initiative be taken by the EU, the UN and the USA, which have signalled that they would like to see Turkey involved in the Mediterranean, so as to demarcate the exclusive economic exploitation zone between the Republic of Cyprus and Turkey.
Secondly, the faits accomplis to be lifted, the illegal and illegal actions that constitute a provocation, and thirdly, there are the PARAMETERS of the UN that give the recipe for a solution, not the one put forward by Turkey, that is, of the two separate states, but of the bicommunal bi-zonal federation, as long as the conditions are such as to allow the functioning of the state, the independence of the state or the independence from guarantees, and, therefore, dependence on third-country influences.
We do not want to experience conditions of Bosnia-Herzegovina or Lebanon, where similar arrangements to those intended have yielded two non-functional and essentially dead states.
It is in the interest of both Greek and Turkish Cypriots, as well as Turkey, to solve the Cyprus problem on the basis of UN principles, principles and VALUES of the EU. If Turkey realizes this, many of the problems that currently exist in Turkey-EU relations are removed, such as the modernization of the Customs Union, visas, progress in accession negotiations, progress in energy issues, progress on issues of interest to the region, so as to create conditions of peace and stability.
Asked if there are any positive signs on the part of Turkey, President replied "unfortunately, no. On the contrary, what has been conveyed to us, despite what the President of Turkey said yesterday, is that until the Turkish elections there is no intention on their part to take any initiative to resolve the Cyprus problem.
In a journalist's remark about Turkey's attack on friendship towards countries such as Israel, Egypt, countries of the Arabian Gulf and its effort to pass pipelines through occupied territories, and asked if we have any assurances that these plans will not be implemented, President said that "the trilateral co-operations we have developed here precisely show the magnitude of a proper foreign policy that prevents such phenomena.
Any improvement of relations either with Israel or with Egypt, if and when it is achieved, prevents unilateral actions against the Republic of Cyprus. And that's very, very important."
Asked if the issue of the initiative he referred to in relation to the EU will be raised at the upcoming European Council, President said that "I was aware of it for the March Council, where the issue was on the table, but after the events the priorities were unfortunately overturned. However, I have informed both the President of the European Council, Mr. Charles Michel, the High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Josep Borrell, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, as well as Ms. Newland during her recent visit to the Republic of Cyprus."
"Unprecedented circumstances after 60 years of peace in Europe"
The President of the Republic, Mr. Nicos Anastasiades, visited today the camp of the National Guard "Sotos Hadjiprokopiou" in Tseri, on the occasion of the Easter holidays, accompanied by the Minister of Defence, Mr. Charalambos Petrides, the Government Spokesman Mr. Marios Pelekanos and the chief of the National Guard, Lieutenant General Demokritos Zervakis.
Speaking to the militiamen, the President of the Republic said, among other things, that "I want on behalf of the State to express the warmest of my feelings to each and every one of them, to all the men and women serving the National Guard, to express my gratitude to the men and women present and at the same time my warmest congratulations for the work carried out in the National Guard through sound planning in order to strengthen it. the deterrent force and the defence of our country.
These days, unfortunately, we are witnessing what anyone who considers himself strong wants to impose. We are experiencing truly unprecedented circumstances after 60 so many years of peace in Europe. Knowing attitudes that resemble between the invader and the current catastrophic events that we witness, is our position that the National Guard can only be strengthened defensively in a way that effectively defends the territorial integrity and independence of our country.
At the same time, we do not fail to insist that the only way to deal with the devastating consequences of the 1974 invasion is to implement the countless UN and Security Council resolutions. And this can only be done through a creative dialogue that will respect the basic principles of international law, but also the principles and values of the EU of which the Republic of Cyprus is a member.
Yesterday, I heard the Turkish President say that he is seeking peace in the region and a solution to the Cyprus problem, and if that is his wish, we have proved in practice that our dialogue and our positive suggestions, which do not ignore the concerns of the Turkish Cypriots, but also of the Greek Cypriots, are a given. We have proven at the negotiating table that we mean what we say as long as the functionality of the state, its independence and the abolition of any anachronistic guarantees are ensured.
President Anastasiades also referred to the absurd demands of the Turkish side aimed at transforming the Republic of Cyprus into a protectorate of Turkey.
He also pointed out that "what I want to assure Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots is that we are determined to proceed with bold steps, as long as the bold steps are not to the detriment of either the Greek Cypriot or the Turkish Cypriot community. Both communities are concerned. They can easily be overcome if Turkey finally understands that the time has come to end once and for all the interference in the internal affairs of an independent, sovereign, member of the UN and the EU.
I want to wish you from the bottom of my soul a Happy Resurrection to you personally, to your families, but a Happy Resurrection to our country as well."
