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- Ελληνικά
Every July, a tragic milestone for our country and our people, the 15th and 20th of the month, days that were written in the darkest colours on the pages of our long history, leaving wounds open and bleeding.
The pain of the events of the black summer of 1974 and the memories of shame and despair, all alive, circling in the mind, like thousands of bees around the carcass of Onesilos. They look back to the heroically fallen, to the laurel wreaths and the bowed heads that can no longer proudly gaze ahead. They can NOT look optimistically and freely while Famagusta, Kyrenia, Morphou, Karpasia, are under occupation, especially now that the passage of decades leaves History, coldly and dispassionately, to take stock.
Painful memories resurface every time July approaches, carrying the memory of the tragic summer of 1974 that divided Cyprus in two, along with our souls. Which tragically marked the lives of all of us, just as it marked the future of our country. A July that was decisive for the historical development of Cyprus, its people, society and our everyday life, dominated by the dichotomous lines, the occupying army and the long division.
Today, 49 summers later, with the injustice, unfortunately, lingering, we are all here to condemn the treacherous coup and the Turkish invasion, to honour those who heroically gave their lives, all those who sacrificed for democracy and freedom, but also all those who suffered and are suffering from the tragic consequences of the Turkish invasion and occupation, to reflect on any responsibility in the disaster, to affirm that we never forget, to assert our will to end the occupation, to strongly voice our common desire for return, justification, reunification.
Despite the injustice that still hurts, to seek, as an unquenchable candelilla within us, hope....
It has been 49 years since that black July when Turkey criminally invaded Cyprus after the treasonous coup of the Athens Junta and its collaborators here. That Attila the Terrible raped, killed, uprooted.
It is almost five decades, but it is all alive in our minds and souls. Like "bees" circling incessantly, our history, the grief of our grandparents, the questions of our children who have not seen, do not know, how can they possibly feel our land?
There were hundreds, thousands of parents who lost children, children left orphaned, relatives scattered, having lost their loved ones in battles or in brutal murders, rapes, missing persons, refugees.
There are many tragic consequences of the Turkish invasion and occupation with devastating effects that have hurt our people and deeply traumatized our country. All the unacceptable and reprehensible things we see today in Ukraine, to which the international community rightly reacts with condemnation, happened and we experience their consequences every day in European Cyprus, 49 years ago. That is why the responsibilities of those who committed the invasion and occupation and those who allow the continuation of the division of Cyprus by force are incalculable. They constitute a flagrant violation of international and European law, of the United Nations Charter, of the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus and an unquestionable violation of the fundamental freedoms and basic human rights of all Cypriots, Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Maronites, Armenians and Latins, who live and are deprived of their basic freedoms in their own country.
This is now the cold historical reality and not our interpretation. This is why the need to restore basic freedoms and human rights for all Cypriots is imperative. This is what the injustice of history, the illegality of the invasion, the universal norms of law demand. This is what they demand:
- the unjust loss of hundreds of people and the violent uprooting of tens of thousands of families from their homes,
- the missing persons whose fate has not yet been clarified,
- the continuing illegal military occupation of more than a third of our homeland,
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as it commands
- the violation of basic freedoms and fundamental rights of all Cypriots, the illegal Turkish colonisation,
- the trapped people who have remained, against all odds and constant challenges, in their homes, reminding us daily of the identity of Cyprus,
- the shameful destruction of our cultural and religious heritage.
Restoration of human rights for all Cypriots. This is what we must aim for, even though 49 years have passed. Who dares to say it? And yet, almost half a century.
A long time to wait patiently for justice, to continue to seek it with passion, not to lose one's courage and strength.
Injustice is long-lasting, but it does not endure.....
In 1974 the Republic of Cyprus was subjected to a double rape that shook its foundations, first against democracy and then against its independence and territorial integrity. Discord, uprooting, economic destruction were the harsh realities that our compatriots had to face in the stone decades of the 70s and 80s.
Despite the destruction and suffering, we must acknowledge, rightfully with pride, that the Cypriot people did NOT compromise, did NOT give up, did NOT forget. They marched and fought without compromising with injustice, strengthening the statehood of the Republic of Cyprus, without stopping for a moment in their efforts to end the occupation and reunification. With hope never extinguished.
Almost half a century.....
I stand before you today, almost half a century since the most tragic moment of the Republic of Cyprus, the first President of the Republic of Cyprus, born just a few months before that July, who grew up with the other children of war, of refugeeism, of NOT KNOWING, of the endless search for what is right, what is just, of the endless search for hope after many disappointments.
Our history, our heroes, those who have perished and those who have suffered and are suffering do not seek revenge, they do not seek more pain, more disasters. They ask only for recognition of wrongs and vindication through the restoration of human rights for all: Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.
Our history, with our mistakes and our rights, shows the same path: the path of ending the occupation, and the reunification of our homeland.
I have been told, benevolently, by many friends and acquaintances, since the beginning of my administration, not to invest too much in the resolution of the Cyprus problem, not to devote so much time to the Cyprus problem, to focus exclusively on internal governance issues, since in the Cyprus problem everything depends on Turkey.
YES, I fully agree that without the sincere cooperation of Ankara, the resolution of the Cyprus problem and the reunification of our country cannot be achieved. It is an indisputable fact and an admission by the international community itself that the key to the solution of the Cyprus problem lies in Ankara. At the same time, however, our homeland is under occupation, it is all of us, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, who are paying the consequences of this abnormal state of affairs, we are bearing the consequences of the current unacceptable status quo and we will be called upon, if the Cyprus problem is not resolved, to live with the uncertainty, consequences and insecurity that the partition or annexation of part of our homeland to Turkey carries.
It is therefore imperative that we get rid of the occupation and division, and the only way is to intensify our efforts, to read international developments correctly, to understand the geostrategic balances, to shield the international status of the Republic of Cyprus by strengthening all the power factors of the state and to highlight its role as a pillar of stability and security in the Eastern Mediterranean region and the wider Middle East.
The only way, and this is the way I will follow, is the way of progress, cooperation and peace, the way of continuing every effort to break the deadlock and resume talks as soon as possible to achieve the longed-for liberation, the desired solution, the reunification of our country. Despite the difficulties, the frustrations, the challenges, despite the fact that at the moment we are facing high walls, we are not reconciling with the occupation, this is not the future we want to give to our children.
With realism, determination, perseverance, without any grumbling, defeatism, and introversion, we further strengthen our efforts in a constantly changing international reality, which you do not know whether it will bring you new difficulties or new opportunities.
Our immediate initiative, from the first day of our administration, has resulted in the mobilisation of the European and international players to break the deadlock and restart the talks. And I am, yes, cautiously optimistic that this objective can be achieved. Our effort, our demonstration of our readiness to create positive developments for all parties involved through the resumption of talks, always on the basis of the agreed framework for a solution, is recognised by the international community, which is active in this direction. And I am ready, always within the agreed framework, to take bold and beneficial decisions that will lead to the end of the occupation and the reunification of our country.
And I want to publicly express today my satisfaction, particularly with the efforts of some of our EU partners, EU member states that on the basis of our approach have taken a leading role, within the EU framework, to bring about a mutually beneficial state of affairs with positive developments for all parties involved in the Cyprus problem through the resumption of meaningful negotiations, always under the auspices of the United Nations, on the basis of the agreed framework and starting from where they were interrupted in the summer of 2017. And I would like to reiterate, once again, my readiness for the resumption of negotiations, which I approach with absolute seriousness, a clear objective and the necessary realism, which is of course necessary.
Because, as I have repeatedly stated, our overriding priority is a solution, liberation, reunification, security and the well-being of all Cypriots and legal residents on our island, and for all this we must all together, seriously, continue our efforts. Anything other than reunification will not secure the interests and peaceful future of the Cypriots. There is no room for discounting this truth, we must be united and strong to aim for the future that our children deserve and we envision for them. Erdogan has once again participated in today's celebrations in our occupied homeland, I consciously choose not to engage in a public dialogue of blame, recriminations and impression-making. I am not interested in the communication management of the Cyprus problem.
We condemn the double crime that divided Cyprus, we honour the heroes of Democracy and Freedom, we learn from our mistakes, but we long for the return, we seek justice for all Cypriots, we have the right to hope for a reunited state, peaceful, like all others.
Injustice is long-lasting, but it does not last. With dedication, determination and assertive realism, we are working to break the deadlock and resume the Cyprus settlement talks, aiming for a workable and viable solution. A solution based on a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality, in accordance with the relevant UN resolutions, EU principles and values and the acquis communautaire.
A solution that will truly reunite our land, restoring it as a modern, functional and effective European state with a single sovereignty, a single international personality, a single citizenship.
A reunited Cyprus, with a role and a voice inside and outside the European Union, able to prosper for its citizens, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. We belong to the European Union and we will continue to belong to it after the Cyprus settlement, and that is why the European acquis and European principles and values are the tools that we must primarily make use of and it is time for everyone, but everyone, to understand this. In the European Union we are not spectators. We are active members who want its values, laws and freedoms to be applied in our reunified country, which is why the EU must play a substantial role and we have a duty to constantly strive for this: We are not fighting to "win", but to reunite and empower all, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, European citizens who do not need guarantors, foreign armies and invasive rights in their future and in their lives. We are not fighting a battle to have winners and losers in Cyprus, but for the historical truth to be recognized and for human rights and basic freedoms for all to be restored and for us to be able to live freely, to work, to hope for a Cyprus free of dividing lines and barbed wire. A Cyprus of justice, prosperity, equal opportunities, multiculturalism and letters.
Today, 49 years after the tragic July 1974, in the only divided capital of Europe, Nicosia, with full awareness, not only of the responsibility, but also of the historical burden, of the need to boldly lead us to break the deadlock and to a new effort to resolve the Cyprus problem, I reiterate that the road for us has only one direction.
I have said it before, I will repeat it tonight and as many other times as necessary until the blessed hour of reunification: Non-solution is not a solution, because we do not accept partition, because we know who benefits from the passage of time and stagnation, because our agenda is only the end of the occupation and the reunification of our country.
There is the required, sincere political will. There is full understanding and coordination with our partners in the EU and of course with the Greek Government.
I am convinced and I have no choice but to try to find ways out, even on the most difficult issues of the Cyprus problem, until the Turkish side cooperates and contributes constructively to the achievement of a solution.
The success of a viable and functional solution that will truly reunite our country and our people will be, I firmly believe and I will not stop repeating it, the success of all of us; it will be, above all, the key ingredient for a healthy and promising future for our children in a modern European homeland, without barbed wire and occupying armies.
Let us all aim together, united, for this success and let us not look for winners and losers. As long as there is no solution, as long as there is no reunification, we are all losers, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. Before the people who still bear wounds in their bodies and souls from the battles of war. To the relatives of the fallen and the missing, Greek Cypriots and Greeks, as well as to all those who were on the front line to defend the Republic of Cyprus and confront the Turkish invader.
I have said it many times. We cannot change the geography. Nor can we change the power factors of third parties. But we owe it to ourselves not to stop trying, not to be complacent, to strengthen our state, to use whatever tools we have to give way to hope and real peace once again. To make our homeland, our Cyprus, once again in its entirety, a place of peace, stability and security.
Thank you very much for your presence here tonight, which sends messages of condemnation, but above all messages of understanding and hope. Because there is still time, there is always time for what is right.....if we believe in it.
Bless you all.
(PM/NG/EXP)
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