Speech by the President of the Republic Mr Nicos
Anastasiades
at the
American Jewish Committee annual board meeting, yesterday
Mr President,
Esteemed colleagues and friends,
Distinguished leaders of AJC,
Honored guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is a distinct honor and a privilege to be addressing the American
Jewish Committee annual Board meeting in Chicago. Allow me to express my sincere
appreciation for your invitation and for giving me this unique opportunity and
privilege to share some of my thoughts as regards our mutually beneficial
partnership.
Prior to proceeding with my brief
presentation, allow me to say how touched I was to witness the honoring of our
dear Endy. I understand that this is the first ever such award of its kind, and
so this makes it an even more important occasion.
The fact that this honor goes to a Cypriot American, and to Endy
Zemenides in particular, shows not only how esteemed Endy is, but also how hard
Endy has worked to foster this relationship. He has also promoted so many worthy
initiatives between the Hellenic community and the AJC and, of course, he was
instrumental into setting up the Congressional Hellenic-Israel Alliance Caucus
in Congress.
This shows how deeply he cares for this relationship and I just
wanted to add my own heartfelt congratulations for this truly well-deserved
honor.
Endy, you have made us all very proud indeed.
Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends,
My presence testifies yet again how far our relations has come and
how in recent years it has flourished and developed into a relationship of
genuine friendship, appreciation, mutual respect and common interests.
The AJC, since 1908, has played a deeply influential role in
supporting Jewish organizations, promoting democratic values, protecting human
rights and fighting anti-Semitism.
It has also been instrumental in identifying and promoting the
relationship with Cyprus, as well as in helping advance our relationship with
Israel and the United States.
The AJC leadership, with Executive Director David Harris at the
forefront, showed vision and pro-actively worked to build the foundations of our
relationship. And for that, for your support and friendship, we are truly
grateful.
Dear Friends,
Cyprus and Israel share a unique historical bond. Our people have
interacted and prospered from this mutually beneficial relationship since time
immemorial. In fact, Cyprus or ‘Kafricin’, the Hebrew name for Cyprus, is the
only country mentioned in both the Babylonian and the Jerusalem Talmud.
Cyprus has also played a small, yet significant role in the history
of modern Israel. From 1946 to 1949, the British colonial power in Cyprus
established camps on the island for the thousands of Jewish refugees fleeing
Europe after the Second World War and the horror of the Holocaust.
Fifty-three thousand Jews passed from
Cyprus and two thousand children were born. The Cypriot people were both moved
by the drama of the Jewish refugees, and also inspired by their determination to
create a better life; they sheltered them and helped them in their efforts to
continue their journey to Israel.
Together, over the last years we have been writing a new and bold
chapter in the history of our relations with Israel. The exchange of high level
meetings, most recently in June by myself in Israel and in July by Prime
Minister Netanyahu in Cyprus, is merely the tip of the iceberg.
Our solid cooperation is based on our mutual understanding that we
share a common sphere, both geographically and also in terms of common values
such as democracy and freedom.
We are two countries in a turbulent yet important neighborhood that
faces many common challenges. For Israel, Cyprus is a stable, predictable and
reliable partner and vice-versa.
Dear friends,
When Prime Minister Netanyahu, my dear friend Bibi, visited Cyprus in
July, he said during our press conference that Cyprus and Israel are blessed
with ‘ manna’, not from the sky but in our sea. He is referring to the
hydrocarbon reserves that have been discovered in the Eastern Mediterranean, the
sea that has connected Cyprus and Israel over the centuries.
The discovery of hydrocarbons has created impetus in our relationship
and has undoubtedly opened new horizons both in our bilateral and regional
cooperation. This translates into much needed energy security, diversification,
and exports for both countries.
The strategic importance of energy
cooperation between Cyprus and Israel is also of particular importance to the
United States and Europe, mainly in offering an alternative energy corridor
route for the EU.
At the same time, we believe that the
huge recent discovery of the Zohr natural gas field in the Exclusive Economic
Zone of Egypt enhances the prospects for further synergies in the region. Energy
can serve as a catalyst for stability and co-operation in our volatile
region.
The partnerships that are forming in the region between countries,
which share and respect common values and principles, is of critical importance
for another reason. In a region faced with ongoing turmoil, extremism,
sectarianism, civil war and terrorism, we –the democratic countries of the
region- constitute a shield of security and stability.
The complex challenges we face and the range of asymmetrical threats
that plague the region require common effort and joint action. Cyprus has
consistently expanded its cooperation with the United States and with Israel in
the fields of defense, security and counter-terrorism.
And I wish to convey the crystal clear position of my Government, not
only as regards the fight against terrorism, but also in relation to any hostile
threats that might be directed against Israel.
While Cyprus may not be a major actor in the fight against terrorism,
we strongly believe that in order to combat this ever-growing threat we should
effectively fight it at its root causes.
In particular, it is not enough to take action against those
responsible for terrorist attacks. We should also direct our efforts towards
those, who either finance terrorism or provide military supplies to the
terrorist groups: The enablers of terrorism.
Cyprus and Israel see eye-to-eye in this issue and we are ready to
provide our help and support in every way possible and in accordance with our
capabilities.
We have only recently demonstrated this on a couple of occasions, the
one related with the arrest in Cyprus of a Hezbollah-linked terrorist.
I also wish to inform you that during
the recent visit of Prime Minister Netanyahu our discussions on the issue of
energy security and security at large were not refrained in a theoretical
exchange of views.
We did elaborate on a number of ideas for materializing our
cooperation in practical terms that would bring in the very near future tangible
results.
At the same time, I wish to stress that our bilateral cooperation is
not only limited to the above-mentioned spheres, but based on our mutual
political will to further our business and economic ties, extends in an array of
fields. These include tourism, economic exchanges, agriculture and high tech
industries.
In a nutshell, Cyprus and Israel are true strategic
partners.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Cyprus, belonging in a region, where
peace and stability are most expensive commodities, is exerting intense efforts
to find a solution to the 41 year old Cyprus problem. We are cautiously
optimistic that conditions may soon prevail that will enable substantive
progress.
With the new leader of the Turkish Cypriot community, we share a
common vision to reunify our country and its people in a bizonal, bicommunal
federation, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolutions, High Level
Agreements and the Joint Declaration of 11 February 2014.
Let me be clear: No solution is possible without the concrete
contribution of Turkey. Regrettably, Turkey, beyond mere rhetoric, has yet to
undertake practical steps.
We are counting on our friends and allies, including the AJC and the
US Government to convey in the strongest terms this message to Turkey.
Likewise, on the Middle East Peace Process we hope that the ultimate
goal of peace, through a mutually agreed two state solution, will be the basis
for a more stable and secure future.
A future, which acknowledges Israel’s right to exist, within
recognized and secure borders, with a demographic composition that does not
alter its Jewish democracy.
Cyprus enjoys the trust of both sides, and is ready to facilitate
their efforts in every possible way. I have conveyed this message to my friend
Bibi, who has welcomed my proposal to the President of the European Council to
invite separately both Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Abbas to a Summit
of the European Council to present their own point of view and vision.
Recently, following my personal initiative and a series of
coordinated actions so as to gain the support of a number of EU member states
that share the view that the EU should undertake a more proactive role in the
region, the President of the European Council, Mr Donald Tusk, visited Israel
and Palestine.
Moreover, following his recent visit to Cyprus and due to my personal
intervention towards the President of Egypt, el-Sisi, President Tusk, after his
planned trip to Jordan also visited Egypt.
It is well-known that President el-Sisi
constitutes a stabilizing factor in the region. It is for this reason of
maintaining stability that we need not to isolate countries that contribute
towards this cause.
Our aim, having in mind our strategic know-how of the region, is to
help our EU partners to better understand the complexities of the Middle
East
What we are constantly conveying is that a balanced and equitable
approach should be adopted that would take into account the concerns of all
parties involved and we should avoid from taking any actions that might create a
negative climate.
My dear
friends,
Concluding, I would like to thank you once again for your genuine
friendship and support. I am convinced that our relationship is destined to
flourish further in the years to come. Rest assured that in Cyprus you have a
reliable, loyal, and unwavering partner.
Thank you.
