The Cyprus problem is the top issue of Greek foreign policy, it was mentioned today during the meeting of the President of the Republic Mr.Nicos Christodoulides with the President of the Hellenic Republic Mrs.Katerina Sakellaropoulou, in the framework of President Christodoulides' official visit to Greece.
This morning, President Christodoulides, accompanied by his wife Mrs. Philippa Karsera Christodoulides, was officially received by President Sakellaropoulou at the Presidential Palace in Athens, while a military contingent paid tribute.
The National Anthem was played and the two Presidents had a private meeting.
During the meeting, President Sakellaropoulou, welcoming the President of the Republic, said, inter alia, that the visit of the President of the Republic of Cyprus to Greece was overshadowed by the tragic train accident in Tempi and expressed her condolences to the President for the loss of the two young Cypriots.
She added that "I believe that your many years of experience as Foreign Minister and as a distinguished diplomat will be valuable assets in your new efforts for the resolution of the Cyprus problem.
The Cyprus problem is a constant concern and a top national priority of Greece's foreign policy", President Sakellaropoulou said, noting that close cooperation and coordination at bilateral, multilateral and regional levels, which has made Greece and Cyprus pillars of stability and security in the Eastern Mediterranean, guarantee the effectiveness of these efforts.
President Sakellaropoulou stressed that the common goal of the two countries is the achievement of an agreed solution, on the basis of UN resolutions, a solution that will ensure the release of Cyprus from the anachronistic system of guarantees and the right to intervene in Cypriot affairs, as well as the withdrawal of occupation troops and the implementation of the European acquis throughout Cyprus.
For his part, President Christodoulides, among other things, conveyed on behalf of the Cypriot people his deepest condolences for the tragic accident in which so many young people, including two Cypriots, lost their lives, adding that the two countries are in mourning.
He stressed that "the responsibility of all of us who are in positions of power is through our actions, our deeds, to do everything possible to prevent such tragic events from happening again".
He added that this is his first visit to Greece as President of the Republic, a visit of symbolic importance that indicates the fraternal ties between the two countries, but also of substantial importance considering the challenges we have to face.
He also referred to the "need to further strengthen our excellent bilateral relations", stressing that Greece and Cyprus "as members of the European family, through our actions, our foreign policy, our domestic action, we have to prove in practice that we have the right and the duty to make the best possible use of our resources."
He also referred to the "need to further strengthen our excellent bilateral relations", stressing that Greece and Cyprus "as members of the European family, we have to demonstrate through our actions, our foreign policy, our domestic action, that we have the right and the duty to make the best possible use of our resources."
[P WE ARE WELL AWARE OF THE DIFFICULTIES, THE PROBLEMS, THE CHALLENGES, BUT THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE WILL STAND IDLY BY. WE WILL DO EVERYTHING HUMANLY POSSIBLE TO BREAK THE DEADLOCK, TO ACHIEVE THE GOAL OF REUNIFICATION, OF LIBERATION, ON THE BASIS OF THE AGREED FRAMEWORK, AND IT IS IN THIS FRAMEWORK THAT WE BELIEVE THE EU CAN PLAY A DECISIVE ROLE. THE REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS IS AN EU MEMBER STATE AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE SO AFTER A POSSIBLE CYPRUS SETTLEMENT AND THE EU HAS ALL THOSE INCENTIVES TO LEAD TO A MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL STATE OF AFFAIRS. AFTER ALL, AS THE RECENT EARTHQUAKES IN TURKEY AND SYRIA DEMONSTRATE, WE CANNOT CHANGE THE GEOGRAPHY AND WE OWE IT TO ALL THE STATES IN THE REGION, THROUGH A POSITIVE APPROACH, ALWAYS RESPECTING INTERNATIONAL LAW, RESPECTING THE PRINCIPLES AND VALUES OF THE EU, TO FIND WAYS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS AND TO WORK TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE AS MUCH AS WE CAN ACHIEVE AND TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT EXIST IN OUR REGION.And I am here precisely to coordinate with the Greek Government on how we can best either bilaterally or regionally or outside the EU to achieve all these goals."
The meeting was followed by a ceremony in which the President of the Republic was decorated by the President of the Hellenic Republic with the Grand Cross of the Order of the Saviour, which is the highest honorary distinction awarded by the Hellenic Republic to the most prominent personalities of foreign nationality.
Receiving the honorary distinction, President Christodoulides assured that he will do his utmost to meet the expectations of the Cypriot people and to be worthy of the honorary distinction he has received from the Hellenic Republic.
Earlier today, President Christodoulides laid a wreath at the Monument of the Unknown Soldier, in Constitution Square, in the presence of a military contingent that paid its respects.
(PM/EP/SX)
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