It is with feelings of deep emotion and utmost respect that we today unveil the Monument to the Missing.
A monument, the first in the city of Limassol, which is the minimum tribute of the State and the Pancyprian Organization of Relatives of Undeclared POWs and Missing Persons to each and every missing person.
At the same time, it confirms our unconditional solidarity, moral support and solidarity with the human drama of the relatives of the missing persons, who have experienced and unfortunately continue to experience the agony, pain and painful consequences of the unclear fate of their loved ones.
It is in this context that the memorial will be a constant reminder of the responsibility and the debt we have as a state, as a people, as a nation to determine the fate of all the missing persons.
Considering that this is a humanitarian problem that does not distinguish the missing persons on the basis of their ethnic origin, our attention is directed to all the missing persons, Greek Cypriots, Greek Cypriot brothers and sisters and Turkish Cypriots, due to the tragic events of either the 1963-64 Turkandarsia or the 1974 Turkish invasion.
As a result of the efforts of the respective Governments at the legal and diplomatic level, as well as your own militancy, and I am referring to the Relatives' Organization, to the fathers and mothers, we succeeded in promoting the issue and discussing it in various international forums and organizations.
At the same time, we stand by the side of the Committee of Inquiry on Missing Persons, supporting its work in practice, either by gathering the necessary information or through financial support.
Unfortunately, despite the investigation of a large number of cases and despite what our side is doing, the fate of another 775 Greek Cypriot and Greek Cypriot missing persons remains unclear.
And this, as a consequence of the usual and inhumane tactic of the occupying power to persist in its refusal to provide the information it holds in its archives.
Despite promises made to the United Nations that 30 sites would be indicated in order to investigate and possibly find missing persons.
This refusal, which, combined with the objective difficulties created by the passage of time, as well as the systematic and deliberate removal of remains from their original burial sites, further complicates the work of the Missing Persons' Committee.
Therefore, I reiterate my appeal to anyone who possesses any information that could help in ascertaining the fate of even one missing person, not to hesitate to provide it, even in complete anonymity.
But what we primarily demand is that the United Nations, our European family, the European Union and the international community at large hold Turkey accountable.
They are doing something similar today and we applaud them for calling on Russia to withdraw and stop its acts of war, its invasion of Ukraine. At the same time they are accusing it of war crimes, similar to those committed by Turkey in Cyprus.
This is why I want to believe that the current situation, however unpleasant it may be, because it is not us who caused it, however negative its consequences - we have every sympathy for the people of Ukraine and those who are suffering as a result of this unacceptable situation - will awaken the law that does not distinguish between sovereign and non-sovereign nations. Sovereign states are those recognised by the UN and Cyprus is just as much a sovereign state as Ukraine. It was equally subjected to the same barbaric, unacceptable invasion by a stronger one, under exactly the same pretexts. That is why we do not cease to insist and make the case to the EU, to the UN Secretary General, from every international forum that the time has finally come to realize that international law will prevail when we all respect it indiscriminately, when all states do not distinguish between violation and favourites and violation and missing persons.
You are well aware that we are doing our utmost to achieve an honourable solution, a just solution, a solution that guarantees human rights, that gives the relatives of the missing the right to know the fate of their children, their fathers, their brothers and sisters. We are trying in every way, with many sacrifices, with many concessions, to achieve peace. Unfortunately, Turkey's new revisionist policy is leading to a very dangerous stagnation.
We are all witnesses, especially the UN and the EU and not only, to the subtle neutrality that it is maintaining at this time when all of us united in Europe are taking measures, however unpleasant, however detrimental to the interests of our countries.
And it is sad to watch the provocative actions in the Aegean, in Cyprus, in Syria, in Libya, in Iraq, the refusal to apply sanctions, the blackmail to accept Finland or Sweden into NATO and still continue to be the pampered child of some for the sake of their own interests.
These are the realities. But it is for these realities that we are called upon to continue the struggle and I promise you that we will continue it because only by struggling can we win, because only by respecting international law can we win, because only by making use of the multi-layered relationship we have developed with states in the region and beyond. With the help and support of Greece we can achieve the recognition of our right. Tsara, the architects who contributed to this monumental symbol, everyone in general, and especially to give once again what I owe: the honour to the relatives of the missing persons for the determination of their fate.
(PM/SX)
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