Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades expressed his disappointment that Turkey faces no consequences for its revisionism, which leads to violations of other countries’ sovereign rights, while addressing on Tuesday the World Conference of Overseas Cypriots by the World Federation of Overseas Cypriots (POMAK).
The President’s speech was delivered by the Minister of the Interior, Nikos Nouris, due to the President’s infection with COVID-19.
The President said that the current situation in the Cyprus issue must be seen in relation to the new geopolitical facts and the revisionism of Turkey.
He expressed regret that Turkey’s revisionism that faces no consequences, leads to the invasion of Syria and violations of the sovereign rights of countries in the wider Eastern Mediterranean region, such as Iraq, involvement in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the unacceptable claims against Greece.
He added that Turkey refuses to implement sanctions against Russia, has distanced itself from NATO, cooperates militarily with Russia but at the same time strengthens Ukraine’s defense capabilities. At the same time, he went on to say, through the agreement on the export of Ukrainian grain, Turkey presents itself as an honest mediator in the Ukrainian crisis.
“This is an insanity that once again demonstrates the anarchy of the international system and the fact that states’ behaviors are unfortunately determined by economic interests and not what the Charter of the United Nations dictates,” noted the President.
Despite this, he continued, “we insist and will continue to highlight the fundamental principles and values of international law for the need to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the UN members, the prevalence of peace and security and the respect for fundamental freedoms and human rights of all people”.
“And we highlight these principles in dealing with Turkish revisionism, whether they concern the violations in our Exclusive Economic Zone or the alteration of the status of the fenced off city of Famagusta, or the recent claim which essentially confirms Ankara’s permanent goals for a two-state solution”, he added.
At the same time, he said, “we continue to take initiatives that demonstrate our constructive stance for the immediate resumption of dialogue through the submission of bold Confidence Building Measures and the acceptance of the appointment of an envoy or high-ranking officials of the UN Secretariat to give a new mobility to the processes”.
He also said that Cyprus government will continue to highlight that the reunification of Cyprus is not only in the interest of the Cypriot people but also in the interest of the entire international community, since a solution will contribute in achieving and maintaining a necessary environment of stability, security and peace in the region, while strengthening EU – Turkey relations, EU-NATO relations but also the relations between Greece and Turkey.
The President further stated that “for us there is only one option: The achievement of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political equality, as defined in the relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, which will lead to a functional and sustainable state.”
A solution, as he said, that will ensure the territorial integrity and full sovereignty of the country, will fully respect International Law and the European acquis and which will free the country from occupation armies and anachronistic guarantees.
He stressed that for this reason, he repeatedly called on the Turkish Cypriots to abandon the unattainable claims that serve Ankara’s ambitions and see the prospects offered by the possibility of a solution that would reunite Cyprus.
Furthermore, President Anastasiades said that he is deeply moved every time he is among the Cypriots of the Diaspora, assuring for the undivided support of the government to any actions and requests of overseas Cypriots.
Source : Cyprus News Agency