‘Yiannos Kranidiotis, a visionary politician and distinguished diplomat, served the national interests with consistency and selflessness and was an emblematic figure in the shared course of Hellenism in Greece and Cyprus’ notes the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, among others, in a statement on Monday marking 27 years since the late diplomat’s passing.
The Greek Foreign Ministry stressed that Kranidiotis was a pioneer of European integration and a staunch advocate of European ideals. He played a decisive role in the accession of the Republic of Cyprus to the European Union, leaving an indelible mark on the country’s European course, it is added.
‘As the prospect of resuming talks for the settlement of the Cyprus issue under the auspices of the United Nations opens up once again, the diplomatic legacy of Yiannos Kranidiotis continues to serve as a valuable guide for Greek foreign policy,’ the statement noted.
It also stressed that, as Greece and Cyprus continue, in unity and with determination, their efforts to achieve a just and viable solution to the Cyprus issue, as well as to address shared regional and global challenges in a resolute and effective manner, the following words of Yiannos Kranidiotis remain more relevant than ever: ‘We are fully aware of our national rights and we assert them firmly. We have nothing to fear from engaging in dialogue with anyone, whether friend or adversary. We have confidence in our strengths, our capabilities and the clarity of our arguments.’
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.