The donation of a lunar geological sample collected during the Apollo XVII mission by the US government to the Republic of Cyprus will serve as another token of the strong bonds between the two countries, said the President of the House of Representatives Anita Demetriou on Monday at a ceremony held at the Presidential Palace in Nicosia, in the presence of the American Ambassador to Cyprus Judith Garber and Deputy Minister for Research and Innovation Kyriacos Kokkinos.
In his recorded message prior to the donation, NASA Associate Administrator Bob Cabana said that Apollo XVII astronauts brought back this tangible piece of our nearest celestial neighbour to be shared with the world as an act of good will, adding that the success of the recent uncrewed Artemis mission has paved the way for future missions, which will include the first woman and the first person of colour on the surface of the moon.
US Ambassador Judith Garber said for her part that the people of the United States are proud to donate this unique piece of space exploration history to the people of the Republic of Cyprus as a commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo XVII mission and in recognition of the deepening scientific and technical relationships between the two countries.
She added that a shining example of this cooperation was the selection last week of a Cypriot team as one of the ten global winners of the 2022 NASA Space Apps challenge out of 3,000 project submissions.
Quoting Apollo XVII mission commander Eugene Cernan, Garber said that as fragments of all sizes, shapes and colours became a cohesive rock outlasting the nature of space, sort of living together in a coherent and peaceful manner, the United States shared a piece of this rock with many countries around the world with the hope it will be a symbol of mankind that can live in peace and harmony.
“As I am preparing to say farewell to Cyprus, I know the same hope can be found here. Cyprus can and should live in peace and harmony in the future and that will require continued and persistent efforts by us all together,” she concluded.
Acting President of the Republic and President of the House of Representatives Annita Demetriou said that the lunar geological sample will serve as another token of the strong bonds that unite and characterize the two countries and their people.
She added that the bilateral relations between the United States and Cyprus have taken giant leaps in recent years, expressed through a plethora of joint ventures and initiatives, such as the signing of a statement of Intent on Security Issues, the joint commitment and cooperation in the fight against terrorism and the illegal trafficking of drugs and human beings, the Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act, the US investment in CYCLOPS, the participation of the USA in the 3+1 mechanisms and the renewal of the Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement.
The involvement of US Energy giants like Exxon Mobil, Noble and Chevron in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone and the participation of the USA as an observer in the East Mediterranean Gas Forum are tangible examples of American interest in the region and a vote of confidence to the role that Cyprus can play in the energy field, continued Demetriou, adding that the recent State Department announcement to lift the arms embargo for the coming fiscal year was a political milestone and another testament of the trust built between the two countries.
The close friendship and collaboration between the Republic of Cyprus and the USA is defined by their common adherence to the rule of law, democratic values, respect of human rights and freedom, noted Demetriou, adding that both countries work tirelessly to address challenges such as the COVID 19 pandemic, terrorism, cyber and maritime security, climate change, as well as the promotion of stability, security and prosperity for the countries and the people of the Eastern Mediterranean.
“Naturally, the greatest challenge faced by all Cypriots is addressing the division of our country caused by the illegal Turkish invasion and continuous occupation”, stressed the President of the House and expressed her appreciation for the United States’ principled stance on efforts to reach a viable, functional and lasting solution to the Cyprus problem, “a settlement that will reunify the island and its people based on the agreed UN framework of a bizonal bicommunal federation with political equality, as set out in the relevant Security Council Resolutions, and in accordance to the international law and the values and principles of the European Union”.
Concluding, the House President paid tribute to Ambassador Garber’s efforts during her tenure in Cyprus to deepen and enhance the collaboration between the two countries in various fields such as the political. economic, commercial, cultural, scientific or in the area of energy and security and defence.
Deputy Minister for Research and Innovation Kyriacos Kokkinos said in his address that today’s ceremony marks another key milestone in Cyprus’ long-standing relationship with the United States and thanked the American ambassador for her commitment and hard work in further expanding cooperation between their two countries, particularly in the field of science and technology.
He added that at the beginning of the year Cyprus and the United States signed a ten-year agreement in these fields, translated into a partnership with tangible and impact-oriented outputs, while two days ago the Deputy Ministry hosted representatives from the State Department Science Diplomacy who engaged in a meaningful discussion with key stakeholders from the local research and innovation ecosystem.
Space is considered a key enabler for accelerating the twin digital green transition and advancing social prosperity, said Kokkinos, adding that the United States is the pioneer and a leader in space exploration and has already built a strong space economy with a substantial contribution to GDP, an economy that creates hundreds of thousands of jobs every year.
He noted that as the 21st century gets further underway, the space economy is growing and evolving together with the development and profound transformation of the space sector and the further social and economic integration of space, while earth observation and satellite communication were vital in addressing the COVID-19 crisis, showing the enabling role space plays for growth in huge array of sectors.
In this new reality, drawing from the experience of international partners like the United States and through its partnership in the European Space Agency, Cyprus aims to be part of the space revolution, paving the way for a sustainable and resilient future, said Kokkinos.
He added that a number of steps have been taken in this direction, such as formulating the national space strategy, which will be officially announced next week, and the development of national space laws to authorise and supervise space activities and enhance the practice of registering space objects.
At the same time, he noted Cyprus has increased its subscription in the context of new agreements with the European Space Agency and put forward ambitious objectives, among which the earlier transition to associated membership.
“I truly believe that expanding our space cooperation can inject a strong momentum in our already close relationship with the United States”, concluded Kokkinos.
Source: Cyprus News Agency