The President of the Republic receives the
credentials
of the Ambassador of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
The President of the Republic, Mr Nicos Anastasiades, received today,
at a formal ceremony at the Presidential Palace, the credentials of the
Ambassador of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to the Republic of Cyprus, stationed in Athens, Mr Fawwaz Al Eitan .
Presenting his credentials, Mr Al Eitan
said:
“Mr President,
Being honoured to present myself as Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to the
Republic of Cyprus, I would like to convey to Your Excellency a message of
greetings from His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein, with cordial wishes
for your health and happiness, and for the welfare and prosperity of your
country and your people.
My duties will be to execute to the best of my ability
His Majesty’s orders, promoting the excellent relations already existing in all
fields of bilateral relations. I hope I will be able to accomplish my mission
and to be of any service, whenever you may desire to convey your views to the
Government of my country.
Mr President,
The situation in Cyprus is of deep concern to my
country, to which a just, viable and lasting solution on the basis of the
relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions must be found. Jordan’s
stand has always been for the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity
and unity of the Republic of Cyprus. We follow with eagerness the intercommunity
talks and progress for reunification. My country fully supports the efforts of
the Secretary-General of the United Nations to achieve a peaceful and lasting
solution for the Cyprus issue.
Mr President,
Cyprus and Jordan are not only close by distance, but
also by ties of friendship between our people. Large numbers of Jordanians visit
your country, many of whom choose to have their second home in your beautiful
country, enjoying the hospitality and respect of the Cypriot people, also
through the sincere efforts of Mr Michael Leptos and the services he renders, in
his capacity as the Honorary Consul of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
Mr President,
I hope I will be able to accomplish my mission and to be
of any service, whenever you may desire to convey your views to His Majesty and
the Government of Jordan.”
Replying, the President of the Republic
said:
“It is with distinct pleasure and feelings of genuine
friendship that I receive the Letters of Credence appointing you as Ambassador
of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to the Republic of Cyprus and to also accept
the Letters of Recall of your predecessor. Be assured, Excellency, that my
Government and I personally will provide you with every assistance in the
performance of your high duties.
Cyprus and Jordan are bound by traditional and historic
bonds of friendship. Our strategic location has left an indelible mark on the
history and culture of both countries, which have developed a similar historical
heritage.
In recent years, Cyprus and Jordan have experienced a
considerable boost in their bilateral relations. The opening of the Embassy of
the Republic of Cyprus in Amman in 2009, constituted a milestone in our
relations. Furthermore, my official visit to Amman in November 2015, upon the
invitation of His Majesty King Abdullah II, will be a cornerstone in my
country’s efforts in this respect.
Taking into consideration the current situation in the
wider Middle East, as well as developments in the Arab world, the cooperation
between two moderate countries like ours becomes all the more important and
imperative. In a broader context, our two countries share the common objective
of creating an environment conducive to lasting peace, security and development
in the region, in which Jordan constitutes an essential beacon of
stability.
Excellency,
In 2010, the Hashemite Kingdom became the first
Mediterranean partner within the European Neighbourhood Policy, with which the
EU concluded negotiations leading to an ‘Advanced Status’.
During its Presidency of the Council of the European
Union, Cyprus worked for the enhancement of the Southern dimension of the EU
policy. Cyprus was also one of the first countries that signed, in 2014, the
Joint Declaration, establishing a framework for future cooperation in the field
of migration and mobility.
As the nearest EU state to the Middle East, Cyprus takes
an active interest in the developments in the region and has consistently
advocated for a closer EU-Jordan cooperation and coordination in areas of mutual
concern.
I assure you that we will continue to be a close friend
and advocate of your country within the European Union.
Mr Ambassador,
Jordan is a vital Arab ally in the coalition against
DAESH and is actively contributing in the international community’s fight
against terrorism.
At a time when both Europe and the Arab world are under
serious threat from the forces of terrorism and extremism, we need to join
forces to safeguard the stability and security of our region and restore lasting
peace and prosperity for our peoples.
Jordan can count on our support in its efforts to
effectively manage the deepening humanitarian crisis deriving from Syria and
Iraq. It is commendable that, despite scarce resources, the people and the
Government of Jordan have welcomed large numbers of refugees fleeing regional
violence. The fact that the Hashemite Kingdom is providing shelter and adequate
living conditions to more than 1.5 million refugees constitutes an act of
principled social and humanitarian consciousness that deserves due international
merit and applause.
Mr Ambassador,
With regards to the Middle East Peace Process, the
Republic of Cyprus considers that a solution should be based on international
law and the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions and provide for the
establishment of an independent Palestinian State that will exist side-by-side
with the State of Israel.
I take this opportunity to express the appreciation of
my Government and of myself to His Majesty King Abdullah II and the Hashemite
Kingdom for their outstanding efforts to achieve peace, stability and prosperity
in our region, a vision we both share.
Excellency,
Following the return to the state of play that existed
prior to Turkey’s illegal actions in our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), in
October 2014, that had forced us to suspend talks, as well as the assumption of
the leadership of the Turkish Cypriot community by Mr Mustafa Akinci, in April
2015, we officially resumed the negotiating process this past May, during a
joint meeting held between the leaders of the two communities and the Special
Advisor of the UN, Mr Espen Barth Eide.
In this respect, I wish to stress that our first
priority is to reach a comprehensive, viable and fair settlement of the Cyprus
issue. A settlement based on a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation with political
equality, as set out in the relevant Security Council Resolutions, the
High-Level Agreements and the Joint Declaration of February 2014, with a single
international legal personality, a single sovereignty and a single citizenship.
A settlement that will safeguard and respect the principles, upon which the
European Union is founded, and ensure peaceful co-existence and prosperity for
all Cypriots.
To this end, the recent assumption of the leadership of
the Turkish Cypriot community by Mr Mustafa Akinci creates expectations and
hopes for cooperation and joint collaboration, through engagement in substantive
negotiations, with good will and determination, so to finally reunite our
homeland, free from occupation forces, and for Greek and Turkish Cypriots to
peacefully live together, as we they had done so for centuries.
Moreover, I reiterate my strong belief in the adoption
of confidence-building measures, aiming at building trust and good will between
the two communities, thereby, providing a much needed stimulus to the prospect
of reaching a settlement. In this respect, we welcome measures adopted so far
and their positive impact to the everyday life of our people. This is an ongoing
process and we do hope that we will be able to adopt more measures in the near
future, including bold measures that are considered as game-changers.
At the same time, we do hope and expect that Turkey,
which still military occupies the northern part of Cyprus, will demonstrate
genuine political will and negotiate in good faith, so as to contribute
constructively to the efforts to reach a settlement as soon as possible, not
only in theory and rhetoric, but through practical and substantial actions.
On my behalf, I would like to express once again my
sincere willingness and determination to work tirelessly to achieve a settlement
reuniting Cyprus. It is the historically shared responsibility of the leaders of
the two communities and all stakeholders involved to uphold these ambitions and
find the right forward. It is a responsibility which I am whole-heartedly
committed in undertaking.
Mr Ambassador,
I take this opportunity to express my earnest
appreciation and thanks for the principled stance taken by the Government of the
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in the discussions on the resolution on the
‘Situation in Cyprus’ during the 42 nd session of the Organization of
the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers. Your principled
position, actively expressed during the deliberations of the meetings, strongly
supported our efforts to achieve the goal of a forward-looking resolution.
Excellency,
In welcoming you to Cyprus, I wish you every success in
the performance of your duties. I would be grateful if you convey to His Majesty
King Abdullah II, the Government and the people of the Hashemite Kingdom of
Jordan my warmest wishes for peace and prosperity.”
Present at the ceremony were the Minister of Foreign
Affairs, Mr Ioannis Kasoulides, the Head of Presidency at the Presidential
Palace, Mr Kypros Kyprianou, and the Chief of Protocol, Mr Marios
Kountourides.
