Toast proposal at the official luncheon
hosted
by the President of the
Republic
in honour of
the Vice President of the USA
Mr. Vice President,
It is a distinct honour and pleasure
to welcome you and your delegation on behalf of the Government of the Republic
of Cyprus and the people of Cyprus.
This is a landmark visit of real
historical significance, as it constitutes the first visit to Cyprus by a US
Vice President since 1962: aptly demonstrating the significant improvement in
the partnership between Cyprus and the United States. A partnership which we can
now call strategic.
It deeply saddens me that you are
visiting the Republic of Cyprus at a time when the long-standing problem of
occupation and division remains unresolved. I am saddened that around this table
we do not have with us our Turkish Cypriot compatriots.
Mr. Vice President,
Since assuming office just over a
year ago, my Government, consciously and with commitment, reoriented its foreign
policy, in order to promote core European and transantlantic priorities in the
Eastern Mediterranean. This was deemed necessary in order to realize our full
potential as an EU member state at the Union’s south-eastern-most corner,
assuming its pivotal role in regional peace, stability and security in this
volatile region of the world.
And I am pleased to note that it is
widely acknowledged that we have proven to be a stable and reliable partner both
to the EU and the US through, among others, our mutually beneficial cooperation
in an array of fields. This, among others, includes the removal of chemical
weapons from Syria, counterterrorism, crisis response and non-proliferation of
weapons of mass destruction.
We look forward to continuing our
contribution towards these goals and I can assure you Mr. Vice President that
Cyprus will offer any indispensable help towards this end.
Further, I believe there is a common
understanding that the discovery of hydrocarbons in the Cypriot exclusive
economic zone, in addition to creating new economic opportunities, has the
potential to transform the regional geopolitical landscape and become a force of
stability, prosperity and peace.
The presence of hydrocarbon reserves
in the Eastern Mediterranean can provide an alternative energy corridor, leading
to increased energy security.
In this regard, what the Government
of the Republic of Cyprus is expecting from a strategic partner is to secure our
sovereign rights to explore and exploit the natural resources in our Exclusive
Economic Zone. To this end Mr. Vice President, I have no doubt that we will
receive the support of the United States.
Dear Mr. Vice President,
Following our meeting, I wish to
take this opportunity to express Cyprus’s sincere gratitude for the United
States’s principled position on the Cyprus problem, and for your country’s
interest and assistance in our efforts to reunify our country, in a bi-zonal,
bi-communal federation with political equality, in accordance with United
Nations Security Council Resolutions and the High Level Agreements, with a
single international personality, a single sovereignty and a single citizenship
and in line with EU values and principles, as the Joint Declaration of February
11 provides.
In this respect, please allow me to also convey my
Government’s sincere appreciation for your personal interest, commitment and for
devoting so much of your personal time to achieving a breakthrough on the Cyprus
problem.
Taking this opportunity I would like
to express my government’ s sincere appreciation for your clear remarks upon
your arrival to Cyprus yesterday which reaffirm the United States’ longstanding
and unwavering position as regards the recognition of only the Republic of
Cyprus and its lawful government. A position which irrespective of any of your
visits during your stay in Cyprus remains unchanged. Thank you once again.
As I have underlined during our
discussion, we remain committed to working tirelessly for a solution that will
safeguard the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Cypriots – Greek and
Turkish Cypriots.
And I would like to once more
reiterate that my vision is to experience in my country what you, Mr. Vice
President, have achieved in the United States - a state that protects the human
rights and fundamental freedoms of all its lawful citizens, irrespective of
ethnic origin.
We are well aware that the path to a
solution will not be easy. It will require vision, political courage and
determination. It is my strong conviction that bold confidence building measures
can have a catalytic effect on the negotiations, by providing a dynamic impetus,
enhancing trust between Greek and Turkish Cypriots and rebuilding hope and
confidence in a solution, and as regards Turkey’s intentions.
The package proposal I have put
forward contains all those elements that create a win-win situation and can be a
game-changer.
I do hope that Turkey, which has a
most decisive role to play in the Cyprus problem, will adopt a productive
stance, not only as regards the implementation of Confidence Building Measures,
but especially towards the aim of reaching a settlement.
Dear Mr. Vice President,
Concluding, I would like to express
my gratitude to the United States – and to you personally Mr. Vice President, as
I know that you were one of the first American politicians to talk about the
need to end the illegal occupation of Cyprus and return of Varosha – for
believing both in the importance of reuniting Cyprus and the need to implement
confidence building measures while negotiations are underway. We do count on
your invaluable assistance both in moving forward with the implementation of
confidence building measures and in reaching a settlement. We hope that our
common efforts will soon materialize.
Please all join me in a warm toast
to the health and happiness of Vice President Biden, as well as the members of
his accompanying delegation. I warmly welcome you to
Cyprus.
