President of Greece Karolos Papoulias has spoken of the need to end the Turkish occupation of Cyprus and to reach an acceptable, comprehensive, viable and functional solution of the Cyprus problem.

His message was communicated to an event in Pafos to mark the 40th anniversary of a military coup against the first President of the Republic, the late Archbishop Makarios, engineered by the military junta then ruling Greece, which was followed five days later by the Turkish invasion, resulting in the illegal occupation of 37% of the Republic’s territory and its de facto division.

Cyprus remains occupied, Papoulias said, noting that this is a harsh truth.

However, he added, the other side of the coin is the determination of both the Republic of Cyprus and of Greece never to accept the illegal occupation and division of the island.

Ending the occupation and finding an acceptable, comprehensive, viable and functional solution to the Cyprus problem, in the framework of UN Security Council resolutions and Cyprus` EU membership will constitute elements which will promote peace and stability in the region as whole, he stressed.

These are necessary prerequisites for the full normalisation of relations between Greece and Turkey, as well as for Turkey`s EU accession course.

On his part, in a written statement, Greek Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos noted that without democracy and the rule of law a country will be led to a dangerous path in its foreign, security and defence policy.

Referring to the ongoing UN led negotiation process between Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, he said that Greece supports the common goal for “a just and viable solution”, adding that such a solution will be possible if it is approved by the Cyprus people by way of referendum.