President of the Republi, Nikos Christodoulides, said on Sunday that despite the difficulties and challenges we will do our utmost to solve the Cyprus issue and reunite our country.
Delivering a speech at a memorial service for EOKA hero Demetris Charalambous at the village of Limnatis, the President noted that the EOKA anti-colonial struggle led to the most precious achievement, the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus, an internationally recognized state, an EU member state that proudly held the Presidency of the Council of the European Union not long ago.
He spoke of the illegal Turkish invasion in Cyprus in 1974 pointing out that an illegal state of affairs that cannot constitute the future of our homeland and this is the reason we remain focused on our goal for the resumption of the peace talks from where they left off for a viable and functional solution.
He referred to the struggle of all the EOKA heroes and added that we all bear a great responsibility and duty to keep the historical memory alive. The President noted that especially in the times we live in, the preservation and continuity of our historical and collective memory as Cypriot Hellenism is a fundamental prerequisite for ensuring the continuity of our presence in this land.
He said that today we honour Demetris Charalambous, a genuine patriot, a freedom fighter, and a hero from Limnatis, adding that his example will always remain relevant to every aspect of our lives and our history.
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 due to Turkish intransigence. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, whose term nears its end, announced he would convene another meeting in broader format, after adequate preparation, but gave no timeline. He secured to that end the consensus of both sides and of the guarantor powers. María Angela Holguín, Guterres’ Personal Envoy on Cyprus, is tasked to engage with the parties. Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto acts as the European Commission’s Special Representative for Cyprus, succeeding EU special envoy Johannes Hahn.