Remarks by the President of the Republic
on the Cyprus problem
The first indications are not as
encouraging as we would like them to be, the President of the Republic Mr Nicos
Anastasiades said today, referring to the talks between the two communities in
Cyprus for a solution to the Cyprus problem, and added that the struggle begins
now and it will be difficult.
Speaking at the ceremony for the unveiling
of busts of the fallen and the Column of the missing persons, in Liopetri, the
President of the Republic said that “we fought in order to achieve a joint
communique in which to safeguard exactly the basic principles but also the
basic ingredients of the solution that is been sought.
We fought in order to achieve that this
state will evolve into a bizonal, bicommunal federation on the basis of the
High Level Agreements and the resolutions and decisions of the Security Council
of the United Nations, with one single international personality, with one
single sovereignty, with one single citizenship.
We fought in order to exclude suffocating
timetables, to exclude arbitrations, and for everybody to know that nothing
will be agreed upon unless everything is agreed upon. And that absolutely no
agreement will be acceptable if it is not the result of free will, for which,
naturally, the Cypriot Hellenism and of course our Turkish Cypriot compatriots
will decide on through a referendum.
We fought in order to make sure that the
principles and the values of the EU will be implemented in the entire sovereign
area of the country.
Through broadening and deepening as well
as the creation of new state of affairs, as far as our foreign policy is
concerned, we managed to bring the Cyprus problem to the forefront of
international interest. We managed to achieve new alliances and new bonds of
friendship, without, in any way, affecting traditional relations with friends
that have historically been linked with us.
We sought, and I hope that we will
succeed, so that the Confidence Building Measures will be such that they will
create the new dynamic and the new prospects.”
He added that the dialogue for a solution
to the Cyprus problem started. “I must say that the first indications are not
as encouraging as we would like them to be. That is why I am saying that the
struggle begins now and it will be difficult”, said President Anastasiades.
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