GOVERNMENT OF CYPRUS PRESS AND INFORMATION MINISTRY OF INTERIOR OFFICE (P.I.O.)
PRESS RELEASE

No.1

The President of the Republic addressed the people of Cyprus on the occasion of the Independence Day of the Republic of Cyprus, yesterday

Our side is ready for the immediate resumption of the negotiations on the Cyprus problem in accordance with the framework of the UN Secretary-General and the UN relevant resolutions, said the President of the Republic, Mr Nicos Anastasiades, on 30 September 2017, in a televised address to the people of Cyprus on the occasion of the Independence Day of the Republic of Cyprus celebrated on 1 October.

In addition, President Anastasiades said, inter alia, that through hard and persistent efforts the direct participation of Turkey in a direct dialogue became for the first time possible, in order to end the unacceptable situation we are experiencing since 1974.

President Anastasiades also said that as a result of our strategy we managed to focus the discussion, for the first time in the history of the Cyprus problem, on the essence of the problem, which is none other than the security of the future state, the abolishment of the system of the system of guarantees, the termination of the dependence and guardianship, and the withdrawal of the occupation troops.

“It has to do with principled positions, which the UN Secretary General himself included in the framework of the six thematic units he submitted at the negotiations”, President Anastasiades added.

President further pointed out that «we have submitted realistic proposals which took into consideration the concerns of both communities», and which are based both on the framework of the UN Secretary-General and on the capacity of Cyprus as an EU and a UN member state.

«Despite statements to the contrary and repeated public commitments by Turkey for a positive response to the UN Secretary-General’s framework,» the President pointed out, «Turkey has instead adopted an inflexible stance, insisting on maintaining the Treaty of Guarantee, the rights of intervention and the permanent presence of troops.»

The President told the people of Cyprus that “I want to assure you that the new failure will not break us. The process for the Cyprus problem will be resumed and we will be ready to participate with the same fortitude and the same creativity.

It is for this reason that I conveyed to Mr Guterres our readiness for the immediate resumption of the negotiations, in accordance to his framework as well as in accordance to the UN relevant resolutions.

To this end, and in order to avoid a new failure, I gave emphasis on the need for a good preparation that will allow the new Conference to take place on solid ground”.

President Anastasiades also called on Turkey and in particular the Turkish Cypriots to understand that an agreement must be based on mutual respect without creating winners and losers.

In reference to the economy the President stated that the Government has managed to return Cyprus back to growth, registering one of the highest rates of growth in Europe for 2017, thereby creating the prospects for a more prosperous future.

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