The
President of the Republic receives the credentials
of the Ambassador of the United States of
America
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
United States of America to the Republic of Cyprus, Mrs Kathleen Ann Doherty.
Presenting his credentials , Ambassador Doherty said:
“Mr President,
I am deeply honored President Obama has asked me to
represent the United States of America as Ambassador to Cyprus. I am proud to
represent the hope and promise of my country at such a time of hope and promise
in yours.
The United States commends your leadership and efforts
to reach a just and comprehensive settlement that will reunify this country. As
a friend to Cyprus, the United States is ready to assist. Mr President, the
peaceful reunification of Cyprus would resonate well beyond the island; Cyprus
would serve as an inspiration for others who wish to define a new future after a
painful past.
The Republic of Cyprus is a valued friend and partner of
the United States. I am committed to
advancing our bilateral relationship and to promoting peace, security, and
prosperity in the region and beyond. By working together, we can continue to
make progress on fighting terrorism, preventing proliferation, protecting human
rights, combating human trafficking, strengthening law enforcement, and
improving maritime security. We will
continue to look for new ways to cooperate on issues of great importance to
Cyprus, the United States, and the region.
Our countries’ growing economic ties are further
evidence of our strong relationship and represent a concrete example of our
confidence in the tremendous progress that Cypriots have made in recovering from
the economic crisis. I will strongly
encourage U.S. businesses to come to Cyprus, see its potential, and become a
part of its bright future and growing economy.
At the same time, progress on a comprehensive solution of the Cyprus
problem would have an even more positive impact on the entire island’s
economy.
As I assume the role of Ambassador to the Republic of
Cyprus, I am eager to begin working with you and your administration to deepen
the partnership between our two countries.
I am ready to bring to life the U.S. Embassy’s mission statement: Americans and Cypriots working together in
the Eastern Mediterranean for peace, stability, and prosperity.
Thank you, Mr
President.”
Replying, the President of the Republic said:
“Your
Excellency,
It is with
great pleasure that I receive today your Letters of Credence appointing you as
the new Ambassador of the United States of America to the Republic of Cyprus.
Please accept my heartfelt congratulations for your appointment. I sincerely
wish you every success in the accomplishment of your high duties and want to
assure you that my Government will provide you with every assistance in the
accomplishment of your mission. I
personally look forward to working with you in enhancing even further the
traditionally friendly relations between our two countries.
Excellency,
Based on our
shared values and principles of justice and peace, our two countries have over
the years developed and established very cordial and warm relations,
particularly when dealing with issues of global concern both bilaterally as well
as in the multilateral framework. Cyprus-USA relations have notably progressed
via the engagement of both our countries in the fight against terrorism, illegal
drugs, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and development of nuclear
weapons.
The warmth and
mutual trust in our bilateral relations was evidenced through the recent
upgrading of Cyprus as a strategic partner for the US and by important bilateral
contacts, including Vice President Biden’s visit to Cyprus last spring. The
involvement of American companies in the exploitation of Cyprus’ hydrocarbon
reserves marks a new era for our bilateral relations, one that will serve
towards tightening the economic and commercial links between our two countries
as well as towards expanding our investment ties and our cooperation in the
fields of energy and energy security. ENI's discovery of potentially the
world's largest natural-gas field off the Egyptian coast will be a game changer
for the Eastern Mediterranean and for Cyprus, enhancing its strategic
significance.
I avail myself
of this opportunity to express the eagerness of my Government and me personally
to work closely with you in order to explore new fields of cooperation as well
as deepening and enhancing existing ones.
Cyprus greatly values its relations with the USA and we always stand
ready for cooperation and assistance, in various fields, for the mutual benefit
of our countries and peoples.
The United States of America is a
highly valued partner for Cyprus and an important strategic and trade ally for
the EU as a whole. Cyprus participates in the relevant Council discussions,
striving for the
further deepening of cooperation between the two sides.
On the trade dimension of the transatlantic
relationship, TTIP is clearly our common biggest economic opportunity. Being the
two largest global economies, with the strongest bilateral economic relationship
in the world, the EU and the US have a prospect with TTIP to boost jobs and
growth by reenergizing transatlantic trade and opening new opportunities.
We need to engage in public debate on this issue as much
as possible, providing information on the benefits of the agreement, in order to
address any misperceptions. Cyprus supports every effort to conclude
negotiations on an ambitious, comprehensive and mutually beneficial agreement.
Madame
Ambassador,
Two and a half years ago, just after my election as
President of Cyprus, this country was facing nothing less than economic
collapse. Today, I can proudly and confidently corroborate your words of
confidence that Cyprus has been a success story of economic reform. The economy
has officially exited recession, and is registering growth as of this year.
With the determination of my government, the resilience
of key, productive sectors of the economy and the sacrifice and hard work of the
Cypriot people, we have achieved
· to permanently address fiscal imbalances, through growth-friendly
consolidation;
· to have a restructured and fully recapitalized banking sector, mainly
through big international investors;
· to return to the international markets much earlier than any other program country, and
· to undertake and implement radical structural reforms.
Our ambitious reform agenda,
targeting the pension
and welfare systems, the public and tax administrations and the labour market,
aspires to lay the foundations for long-term sustainable growth.
Growth-enhancing reforms such as a privatizations’
program, a digital strategy and a more efficient judicial system, seek to
improve the business environment which will increasingly attract foreign direct
investments in the productive sectors of the economy and to eventually transform
our economic model.
The “shock
therapy” imposed on Cyprus in 2013 was both unprecedented and questionable. But
my government, given the circumstances, had no option but to implement the
Adjustment Programme. Today, we are in a position to look forward to its successful completion
within the next few months.
We have learned valuable lessons the
hard way. We still need to tackle significant challenges. And yet, we have used
the crisis as an opportunity. An opportunity to pursue reforms, to enhance our
competitive edge, to
attract foreign direct investments with the ultimate goal of achieving sustained
growth and prosperity for all Cypriots.
Excellency,
Following the
non-renewal of actions, which violated the exercise by the Republic of Cyprus of
its sovereign rights within its Exclusive Economic Zone, and the change in the
leadership of the Turkish Cypriot community, a window of opportunity has opened
that has revived our hope that the new round of negotiations, which resumed this
past May, will lead to the comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem.
A hope that is
based on my conviction that both I and the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr. Mustafa
Akinci, share the same political courage and resolve to decisively move forward,
in order to materialize the joint vision of our people, who desire the solution
of the Cyprus problem through a viable, lasting and functional settlement.
A settlement,
in full conformity with the values and principles of both the Charter of the
United Nations and the EU acquis, the High Level Agreements between the leaders
of the two communities of 1977, and 1979, as well as the Joint Declaration of
February 11, 2014.
A settlement
that will lead to the evolution of the Republic of Cyprus to a federal state,
based on a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation with political equality, as set out
in the relevant Security Council Resolutions, with a single international legal
personality, a single sovereignty and a single citizenship, in line with the
principles upon which the European Union is founded, and ensuring the respect of
human rights of all Cypriots.
A state that
is and will continue to be a member of the UN, the EU, and numerous other
international organizations and whose sovereignty, territorial integrity and
constitutional order will not be constrained by anachronistic systems of
guarantees by third countries and the presence of foreign troops in the
island.
Excellency,
During this new negotiating round, progress has been
achieved in a number of issues on almost all chapters of the Cyprus Problem.
However, on other substantive issues there are significant differences that need
to be resolved.
Differences that, in order to be resolved, would require
Turkey’s active and determined contribution, considering that its occupation
forces still remain in the northern part of our country.
I hope and expect that rhetoric assurances of Turkey’s
desire to reaching a settlement will be at last tested in practice, through the
adoption of concrete steps that will positively underpin the negotiating process
and correspond to the climate of hope prevailing in the island.
Excellency,
In welcoming
you to Cyprus, I would kindly request you to convey to the President of the
United States of America, His Excellency Mr Barack Obama, and to the friendly
Government and people of your country, our warmest greetings and a message of
sincere friendship and solidarity. Once more, I wish you every success in
carrying out your duties.”
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.
