Address
by the President of the Republic,
Mr N. Anastasiades,
at
the reception for
the 238th
anniversary of US Independence
Your
Excellency Ambassador Koenig,
Distinguished
Ambassadors and Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Ladies
and Gentlemen,
I
am truly delighted to be here with you today, on behalf of President
Anastasiades, to celebrate
together the Declaration of Independence of the United States of
America.
Today,
we honour the founding of a great country; a leading power and shaper
of the international system; a frontrunner in scientific research and
technological innovation; a country famous for embracing peoples of
all ethnic and religious backgrounds; the
home of a vibrant Cypriot-American community, which is a living
bridge between our two countries.
Most
importantly, though, we celebrate the principles and ideals that have
invigorated US democracy, making it a lasting beacon of
freedom and human rights for the whole world.
The
founding values of the USA remain in our days just as alive and
pertinent, while the quest for freedom and equality as laid out in
the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights has been a
source of inspiration to nations seeking freedom, peace, security and
prosperity.
Your
Excellency,
On
this auspicious occasion, I wish to express the Cyprus government’s
satisfaction with the excellent level of bilateral relations between
our two countries; relations that have been characterized as a
“strategic partnership”.
The
recent landmark visit of H.E.
Mr Joe Biden the US Vice President to Cyprus, the first since 1962,
aptly demonstrates the growing significance of the Cyprus-US
relations as well as Cyprus’ importance as a stable and reliable
partner to the US.
Our
two countries’
shared commitment to and respect of the universal values of
democracy, justice, human rights, and the rule of law, have been the
bedrock upon which these relations have been forged and anchored.
I
also wish to convey the appreciation
of the Cyprus government for the growing cooperation between our two
countries, which is critical for Cyprus assuming its pivotal role
towards contributing to stability and peace in the volatile region of
the Eastern Mediterranean.
To
this end, we are grateful for the valuable assistance provided by the
United States on
a number of fronts, such as counter-terrorism, non-proliferation of
weapons of mass destruction, and crisis response, to mention but a
few.
The
government of Cyprus wishes to continue strengthening these amicable
ties and expanding our cooperation with the US for the mutual benefit
of our two peoples.
Furthermore,
I wish to take this opportunity to express Cyprus’
sincere appreciation for the United States’ principled stance on
the Cyprus problem, for its interest and commitment in our efforts to
reunify our island, and finally for its support of the independence,
sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus.
Dear
Friends,
We
embrace the vision of the Founding Fathers of
the United States of America about the self-evident truth of the
equality of all human-beings and the right of all people to Life,
Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. It is for these very
inalienable rights that we are striving to reach a just and viable
solution to the Cyprus problem that will protect the human rights and
fundamental freedoms of all citizens of the united Cyprus within the
EU.
With
this, I wish to raise my glass for the good health and prosperity of
our two countries and the people of Cyprus and the United States.
Congratulations
and Happy
4th
of July!
________________
Note:
The
address was read, on behalf of the President of the Republic, by the
Minister of Defence, Mr Christoforos Fokaides
