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I can't remember the last time I attended an event to condemn the Turkish invasion and the ongoing Turkish occupation and saw so many people. This is a great honour for all of you. Most importantly, I see people, I see people of my own age who were born either during or after the Turkish invasion and this is indicative of the desire to return.
It is a great honour for me and I feel proud to participate in today's modest ceremony for the unveiling of the Memorial to the Fallen, Murdered and Missing of the communities of Pigi and Peristerirona Famagusta during the Turkish invasion of 1974. From today, this site and the communities of the area - and here we must salute the Community of Mosfiloti for hosting the Memorial - seal in a special way their relationship with the refugee world of Cyprus and will be a reference point to the events and testimonies of the barbaric and illegal Turkish invasion and the ongoing occupation.
Let me begin by particularly congratulating the Presidents and Members of the Community Councils of Pigi and Peristerona for the decision to erect the Monument. Let me congratulate Mr. Iakovos on the idea. It is more important to recognize the work after one leaves, so you should be particularly proud.
The Monument is indicative of the fact that the Cypriot people, 50 years after the Turkish invasion, half a century later, have not ceased for a moment to remember, to honor, to struggle and to keep alive the hope for a return. It has not ceased to erect monuments that reveal its heroism, sacrifices and pride in our history, but more importantly - to answer some who criticise us for making too many monuments - the monuments demonstrate first and foremost our desire for the liberation and reunification of our land.
As a State, as a society, each of us individually, we stand in reverence and awe of all those who fought, sacrificed and martyred for the sake of our homeland. We stand with pride, gratitude and respect for the 33 fallen, murdered and missing Peristeronopigians and pay tribute to them. Moreover, the Monument that we are inaugurating tonight will bear witness to the contribution of the two communities in the struggle to defend the freedom, independence and territorial integrity of our country. Monuments, such as the present one, give historical meaning to our land and stimulate the vision and desire, especially in new generations, for the liberation of our enslaved territories and the reunification of our homeland.
Historically, the Communities of Pigi and Peristerona Famagusta have a rich national, cultural and religious activity. With a long history, with substantial participation in the struggles of our people, with sanctified figures such as St. Anastasios and St. Panaretos, inspiring teachers and much more, they are a special chapter in the history of Cyprus.
From Pigi and Peristerona Famagusta many of our compatriots of letters, politics and the Church have their origins. One of them, a worthy offspring, ambassador and benefactor of these two communities is the venerable Elder Ephraim. The Elder is a pan-Orthodox personality, who through the Vatopaidi Monastery and not only has an unparalleled charitable, spiritual and cultural work to show, which spreads without discrimination throughout the world and in most cases away from the limelight.
The path of the Elder's contribution could not fail to pass by his place of origin, Peristeronopigi Famagusta. The Holy Great Monastery of Vatopedi undertook, as is well known, all the expenses for the construction of the Monument and is one of the greatest benefactors of the two communities. The fact that one of the 33 victims of the brutality of the Turkish invaders is also your late father, Elder Ephraim, gives another, more personal, if you like, dimension to your relationship with the events and persons of the Monument.
My Elder, I had the pleasure and the blessing to visit you recently on Mount Athos and in the Holy Great Monastery of Vatopedi as President of the Republic - it was not my first visit, but it was my first visit as President of the Republic of Cyprus, the first after the visit of the late President Glafkos Clerides, it was the first time that the President of the Republic of Cyprus visited - and to experience the magnitude of the spiritual struggle of the Fathers of the Monastery and to experience the magnitude of the spiritual struggle of the Fathers of the Monastery. I therefore take this opportunity to thank you publicly for your great, multifaceted and significant contribution to our country and to Hellenism in general.
Preserving the memory of our occupied territories is the greatest act of national responsibility and national obligation. This year, on the 50th anniversary of the Turkish invasion, the memories are not only more intense, but they judge us and demand that we intensify our efforts for the reunification of our homeland. I have heard you very well, Presidents of the two Communities. Turkish intransigence unfortunately remains over time the greatest obstacle to our efforts to resolve the Cyprus problem. Despite the frustrations, difficulties and challenges, for us there is no other option than the reunification of our country.
The current state of affairs, the unacceptable status quo is not static and, unfortunately, the fait accompli of the invasion is getting worse day by day. Our goal is one and only one: to solve the Cyprus problem on the basis of the agreed framework, on the basis of the European acquis, with a solution where we do not ask for much beyond being viable and workable for all the legitimate inhabitants of this land.
Through our own initiatives we have managed to re-intensify international interest and we are working methodically to address any challenges and to effectively resume the talks.
At 8:30 tonight I leave for Brussels. Tomorrow morning, in the margins of my presence at the European Council, I will also have a meeting with the UN Secretary General's personal envoy on the Cyprus problem, a meeting which I believe will be important for the development of the effort to resume the talks.
I want to assure you that we are not resting on our laurels and we are not giving up under any circumstances. At the end of the day, if we really want to honour our heroes, we have a responsibility to all the martyrs of our country, a responsibility and a duty to the 33 fallen, to do everything possible to reunite our country.
(PM/NZ/GS)
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