The President of the Republic, Nicos Anastasiades, expressed his commitment to a settlement of the Cyprus issue during a formal ceremony held at the Presidential Palace on Thursday, receiving the credentials of the new Ambassador of Luxembourg, Elisabeth Cardoso Jordao.
“Cyprus and Luxembourg enjoy close cooperation and share common EU values and principles. I am confident that during your tenure, we will work constructively together so as to deepen this cooperation even further and extend it into new areas”, said President Anastasiades.
He went on to say that Cyprus and Luxembourg can work even closer together with the aim of addressing jointly and effectively the challenges faced by our common European family.
He also pointed out that “in times of crisis like these, where geopolitical uncertainty, war, uprooting, and human migration are just of the few problems facing Europe today, it is important to recall our own experiences, and draw inspiration from the success story of the reunification of Europe and the founding of the EU”. He added that it is essential to preserve our democracies, our European values, our unity and our solidarity so that Europe can emerge stronger, unified and able to offer stability and prosperity to all of its people.
Furthermore, President Anastasiades expressed his strong support and respect to the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. “What is of utmost importance at this point is to secure, through diplomacy and dialogue, the immediate ceasefire to stop the tragic loss of innocent lives”, he said, adding that Cyprus and its people have their own tragic experiences of foreign invasion, following the illegal Turkish military invasion and occupation since 1974.
He also expressed his deep appreciation for Luxembourg’s principled stance on the Cyprus issue and its consistent support on our efforts to reach a comprehensive settlement, based on a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation, with political equality as defined in UN resolutions. President Anastasiades pointed out that Turkey continues unabated with its illegal plans in the fenced area of Varosha, in full defiance of the relevant Security Council resolutions.
He stated that he remains focused in creating conducive conditions for the resumption of the negotiating process the soonest possible, by putting forward a proposal consisting of win-win and far-reaching Confidence Building Measures to end the ongoing impasse and pave the way for peace talks to resume.
President Anastasiades expressed his “strong commitment and determination to engage once again in results-oriented negotiations for a settlement on the Cyprus issue that will address the legitimate concerns and safeguard the rights of both sides”.
Source: Cyprus News Agency