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It is with great emotion and pleasure that I participate, for the first time in my capacity as President of the Republic of Cyprus, in the opening ceremony of the World Congress of Diaspora Cypriots.
There are many strong emotions that overwhelm me as I stand here today among you, among friends and colleagues, but the overriding feeling for me is one of gratitude to all of you, the expatriate Cypriots, who, despite the fact that you live far from home and have been professionally active abroad for many, many years, have not stopped for a moment to fight, to struggle and to defend our beloved Cyprus. And all this, selflessly and without actually asking anything from the homeland.
I had the blessing, because it was a blessing, first as a student, to get to know our community in the USA, then I had the blessing as a diplomat to get to know our community in London and Athens, so I know very well what expatriation means, what it means to make good use of the diaspora, especially at this stage, when we are in a transitional period, if you like, with the new generation of our community, our expatriates, slowly taking over the reins.
Through our many years of cooperation, I have come to know and experience the great and selfless love and concern of all of you for our homeland, for our Cyprus and your efforts primarily for the end of the occupation and the reunification of our homeland.
I am with you tonight for the first time as President of the Republic of Cyprus, and I would like to thank you and say on behalf of the Cypriot state, the entire Cypriot people, how proud we are of all of you, for the work you have done over the years and for all that you offer to our country.
I feel the need tonight to mention something that I have experienced personally, working with you for the last 30 years. I experienced it from the first moment as a student, then as a Diplomat, as a Government Representative and as Foreign Minister, and I would like to mention it tonight. You may come from different parties, either in Cyprus or in your host country, you may have different ideologies, but at the end of the day, and you prove it through your actions, your party is Cyprus, it is our homeland and I really hope that at some point here in Cyprus, we will follow your example and act on the basis of your behaviour, especially when working on major national issues. Because for the big national issues there are neither parties nor factions.
And today, representing the state and the Cypriot people, I want to express to you with absolute sincerity, once again, our gratitude, because in all corners of the globe, all of you, Cypriots in the diaspora, regardless of the government in Cyprus, are the unshakeable pillar of support, support and promotion of our homeland throughout the world.
This year's Conference is being held at a crucial time for the Cyprus problem. In recent days, Turkey has been attempting to create a new fait accompli, in effect extending its occupation of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus. And it is not the Turkish Cypriots, it is Turkey, and we must first present the facts as they are. And if you look at Turkey's reaction to the UN Security Council resolutions, it is now clear to everyone that what is happening in Cyprus is not the responsibility of the Turkish Cypriots, but the responsibility of Turkey.
And I want, following yesterday's consultations and the UN Security Council statement, to express my satisfaction with the massive international reaction to the Turkish plans, the clear response to Mr Erdogan and the occupying regime, but also the recognition by the international community. Because we are not alone in the international system, we are not the centre of the world, we live in an anarchic international system and if we want to defend the interests of our country we have to recognise both the regional and the international facts and I think it is important to mention the recognition by the international community of our cool and very serious approach, which was the aim, in addition to the prevention of a fait accompli that we will never accept, the sincere indication of our intentions, our seriousness and our readiness to resume the talks. Because the Cyprus problem cannot be resolved outside the framework of negotiations. Erdogan, to follow the tactics of Mr. Erdogan and Tatar, of Mr. Erdogan, whose general behaviour has been very aptly condemned by previous speakers.
I consciously choose not to do so. I choose not to follow a communicative management of the Cyprus issue. I prefer the international community to respond to Mr. Erdogan and the occupying regime because, as I have pointed out many times, and I will not stop stressing it, but above all working hard, my sole concern and priority - and I believe that this reflects everyone's wishes - is to end the occupation through the resumption of talks, to achieve what we all want, which is nothing less than the longed-for liberation, the desired solution and the reunification of our country. Because if we are really interested in the survival of Cypriot Hellenism in this country, it will only be through the solution of the Cyprus problem, and I will also refer to the context and to what my friend Philip Christopher mentioned, which we have been discussing a lot since 1993. This is my promise to all you Cypriots in the Diaspora, but also to all the Cypriot people, and especially to the young generation of our country.
I want there to be no doubt that I will do everything possible, intensively and methodically, for a solution on the basis of the relevant UN resolutions, compatible with the principles and values of the EU and the acquis communautaire, a solution of a bizonal, bicommunal federation. A solution that is workable and viable for an EU Member State and that will continue to be so after the resolution of the Cyprus problem. The EU does not discount the basic principles of the acquis. That is why all the previous seven Presidents of the Republic of Cyprus who worked hard to end the occupation and reunite our homeland did so consciously because they knew precisely that the present state of affairs can in no way be the future of our homeland.
A solution that will finally make Cyprus a normal and functional state. A state that allows all its legitimate citizens Turkish Cypriots, Greek Cypriots, Armenians, Maronites and Latins to live in conditions of prosperity, security, mutual respect and application of human rights for all without exception. And only the EU can ensure this for us. That is why our accession to the EU in 2004 was the most important success of the Republic of Cyprus since its foundation in 1960. The division of Cyprus as a result of the invasion and occupation by Turkey is a huge anomaly in the heart of Europe and can in no way be the future of our homeland. First and foremost, the present state of affairs does not guarantee the future of Cypriot Hellenism in this country.
Our efforts - I mentioned earlier the international context, almost all the speakers mentioned the illegal Russian invasion of Ukraine and the reaction of the international community, so we need to know the international context we are called upon to work in - are focused on breaking the deadlock, through a leading role of the EU, and it is not by chance, and of course always within the framework of the United Nations. And I want to reiterate our satisfaction with the reaction of the Security Council yesterday.
And it is precisely for this reason that immediately after I took office, we launched a major diplomatic effort aimed at mutual benefit for all concerned. We live in an anarchic international system and no one will take any action unless he aims through his action to serve his own interests as well. Unfortunately, it is not international law that determines the policies of any country. So, that is why we are focusing on the EU with the aim of mutual benefit for all parties involved in the Cyprus problem through the security, stability and prosperity that the Cyprus solution can offer us.
In particular, our aim is to link Euro-Turkish relations with the resumption of negotiations for the resolution of the Cyprus problem, always on the basis of the agreed form of a solution with a content of European standards. And we insist in the direction of the EU, because it has the appropriate toolbox, the incentives to be able to lead us through a mutually beneficial state of affairs, a mutually beneficial process on the premise of positive developments in the Cyprus problem.
It is important that our European partners approach the issue from the same perspective, namely that any progress in Euro-Turkish relations, which is very important for Turkey, is interwoven with positive developments in the Cyprus problem. This is not what we are saying, for example, the June European Council Conclusions are clear, they sent clear messages. The Cyprus problem is a European issue and, as such, its resolution is a priority for the EU itself, which calls for the immediate start of negotiations.
It is important that the same Conclusions note that the EU is fully committed and ready to contribute actively at all stages of the process and with all the means at its disposal, while expressing its readiness always subject to the condition of strengthening a new re-engagement with Turkey if and when Turkey meets its obligations.
We are therefore working for developments that will turn the European citizens of Cyprus into first-class citizens and not second-class citizens, as they are today, since so many years later we are still deprived of basic human rights and basic freedoms in our own country. And it is in this context that I believe that both the UN General Assembly in September and the European Council in October are of crucial, crucial importance for the prospect of resuming the talks.
I have listened to all the interventions, I have listened to all the positions which are fully respected.
Because of my previous position, I am very well aware of the difficulties, I know the problems, I know the Turkish approach, the Turkish view on the resolution of the Cyprus problem. At the same time, however, I am also aware that the passage of time creates new realities. What we were discussing in the last negotiations in 2017, many of these issues were not discussed in 1985 because they did not exist as issues. And we all have to realize that the passage of time is further removing the prospect of a solution that can be accepted by the Greek Cypriots. Because any solution will have to be accepted in a relevant referendum by the Greek Cypriots.
At the same time, we know very well that the legitimacy of this situation that we are living today cannot be the future of our homeland. And in this effort, in this struggle, all you Cypriots from abroad, as we have seen, have a very important role to play, as you have been doing and have continued to do for many, many years.
A role that as a state we have to support and strengthen so that our expatriate community can be used to the maximum extent.
After all, many positive developments, whether they concern our bilateral relations with the USA or with other states, were initiated through your actions.
As I said tonight, this is the first time I am addressing all of you in my capacity as President of the Republic.
I took over the government of this country at a difficult time six months ago, and I am well aware of the high, and I would say rightly so, expectations of Cypriot society.
I will go through these five years ready to work with all parliamentary parties, with the people, with society, in constant consultation, without populism, without fine words, but also without divisive approaches. My electoral programme is my social contract with the Cypriot people and it is on the basis of this that I and all the members of the Cabinet, who I am glad to see are all here tonight, will proceed.
In this course of our governance, our Diaspora, our expatriates, are very high on our priorities. I want to assure you of our continued consultation, exchange of views and support for your efforts.
In the context of the long-standing - because previous Governments and I want to acknowledge it, all previous Governments - recognition of your role, I am pleased today to announce the creation of the Diaspora Museum, which at a preliminary stage will be located online and will host a very large volume and quality of written, audio, audio-visual, audiovisual, television and electronic material available from the first World Congress of Expatriates in 1976 to the present day.
The Diaspora Museum, as we will call it, is a particularly important legacy and for our expatriate young people, whom I would like to welcome their massive presence tonight, it will be a useful tool for historical retrospection and study of all aspects of the Cyprus issue and the activities of expatriate Cypriots in all communities. The first phase of the Museum's creation, the online phase, will be carried out under the Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Cyprus. And I thank the Rector for this cooperation and for his hospitality today.
At the same time, I am today pleased to announce the publication of the Cyprus Diaspora Online Platform, which is divided into two sub-platforms, "the Record of Cypriots in the Diaspora" and the "Learn Your Roots" page, which is mainly of an educational and entertaining nature.
Among many other things, the online platform will lead us to the realization of a long-standing goal of the state and all of you, the official registration of Cypriots abroad, wherever they are in the world.
The results, apart from the quantitative registration, are of decisive importance, since through the platform qualitative and other data will be outlined, which will be used both by you and the state.
The "Learn Your Roots" page is addressed to all age groups of our expatriates with emphasis on the young generation. We want our Diaspora children and young people to learn about our language, history, religion, traditions and to maintain their links with our roots. Through educational programs, lectures, electronic material, live broadcasts, they will be educated on the history of Cyprus, Greek language, religion, mythology, traditional dances and much more.
The platform will be available from tomorrow and it is important to start registration both from you and in general to encourage our expatriates to register.
I would also like to announce tonight, the appointment of our former Ambassador to Washington, Mr. Marios Lysiotis, as Commissioner for Expatriates. Mr. Lysiotis, who has served in important positions as a Diplomat, either in Cyprus or abroad, knows first-hand the importance and significance of our Expatriates, the best ways to work together, your concerns and worries, and I am confident that he will successfully meet this important goal of governance.
I welcome you to Cyprus, I wish you every success in your Convention and once again, I thank you, on behalf of the Cypriot people, not only for all that you do for our Cyprus, but for proving in practice that in national challenges our party is Cyprus.
(PM/EP/EHR)
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