Nicosia: The liberation and reunification of Cyprus remain the paramount objective for the Greek Cypriot side, Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou reaffirmed on Sunday. Speaking on Sunday, in Nicosia, during a memorial service for EOKA hero Markos Drakos, the Minister underscored the government's steadfast commitment to ending the island's division.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Ioannou paid tribute to Drakos' legacy of "courage and self-sacrifice" during the ceremony hosted by the St. Dometios 2nd Primary School. He noted that Drakos was among the first to answer the call for liberty with "unshakable faith," describing his role as "decisive" in the inception and progression of the national struggle for independence.
Reflecting on the broader struggle, Ioannou reminded the audience that freedom and national dignity are not granted but earned through persistence. He characterized the Cyprus problem as an "open wound" that continues to afflict the nation more than five decades after the 1974 invasion.
The Minister detailed that the President of the Republic is actively pursuing a settlement based on United Nations resolutions and European Union principles. The administration's primary goal is the resumption of stalled negotiations, specifically aiming to pick up from the progress made during the 2017 Crans-Montana talks.
According to Ioannou, recent diplomatic maneuvers by the Greek Cypriot side have successfully "invigorated" the engagement of both the international community and the European Union. He cited the appointment of personal envoys by both the UN Secretary-General and the President of the European Commission as concrete evidence of this renewed momentum.
In his concluding remarks, the Interior Minister stated that despite persistent obstacles and regional challenges, the government will continue to advocate for a "functional and sustainable solution." He emphasized that any final agreement must guarantee the rights and freedoms of all Cypriots-both Greek and Turkish-while establishing long-term conditions for peace, security, and regional stability.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana, ended inconclusively.