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- Ελληνικά
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Anita Demetriou met today with the Deputy Secretary of State of the Holy See, Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, as part of his visit to attend the Inauguration Ceremony of the Apostolic Diplomatic Mission of the Holy See in Cyprus (Inauguration Ceremony of the Apostolic Nunciature in Cyprus). Archbishop Parra was accompanied by the Nuncio (Ambassador) of the Holy See in the Republic of Cyprus, Archbishop Giovanni Pietro Dal Toso and the Chargé d'Affaires of the Holy See in Nicosia, Mons. Mauro Lalli.
Welcoming Archbishop Parra, the President of the House of Representatives welcomed the opening of the Holy See's Embassy in Cyprus as a very positive step to further strengthen relations between the Republic of Cyprus and the Holy See.
The Speaker underlined the importance of the historic visit of Pope Francis to Cyprus in December 2021 and his strong messages on the need for peace and reconciliation in the world. These messages, Demetriou stressed, should guide leaders in addressing the multiple challenges of today and in the search for peaceful solutions through dialogue and cooperation, whether in Cyprus, Ukraine or the Middle East, noting that there are no "frozen conflicts".
Referring to the current developments regarding the Cyprus problem, in view of the arrival in Cyprus of the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary General, the Speaker of the House of Representatives underlined the commitment of our side to the objective of resuming the talks from the point where they were interrupted in Crans-Montana, to achieve a mutually beneficial solution, based on the agreed framework and the relevant UN resolutions, which will reunite the country for the benefit of all the Cypriot people and especially the young people who hope for a better future in conditions of lasting peace, security and prosperity. The Turkish side's claim to accept a "two-state solution" as a precondition for the resumption of talks undermines the prospect of reaching a solution and cannot be accepted, as it would legitimise the achievements of the Turkish invasion and ongoing occupation, the Speaker stressed, noting that great visions cannot be realised in divided homelands. Demetriou also underlined the importance that the Republic of Cyprus attaches to the promotion of inter-religious dialogue.
The high official of the Holy See conveyed to the Speaker of the Parliament the cordial greetings of Pope Francis. Pointing to the constant escalation of tension and violence, Archbishop Parra stressed the importance of dialogue, cooperation and solidarity to achieve conditions of peace and stability, both in Cyprus and in the wider region.
(Text as sent by the House of Representatives)
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