Government Spokesman Prodromos Prodromou, informed on Friday the 20th World Conference of Overseas Cypriots on the government’s effort on a communication level, noting that in the context of the President’s effort for resumption of Cyprus talks the government has had to undertake a communications war. To that extent he referred to the Guterres Framework, saying that a “systematic effort” took place which aimed for it to be distorted.

The Conference wrapped its official work today, with a joint press conference by Presidency Commissioner Photis Photiou, PSEKA President Christopher Philip, POMAK President Andreas Papaevripidis and NEPOMAK President Christos Tuton.

Everyone expressed their satisfaction over the outcomes of the conference and Photiou stressed that a key element of Cyprus` strategy also has to do with the trilateral or bilateral cooperation mechanisms with other countries such as Israel, Egypt, Armenia, Ireland, Portugal, Romania and Serbia. “We will continue these efforts, these cooperations, because I believe that by uniting forces we can better promote our natiional interests at the appropriate place,” he said.

Tthe leaders of the Diaspora organisations asked for more up to date information on developments in Cyprus to be distributed to them in the English language so that they can help matters in their respective countries of residence. They also called for unity at home, calling on everyone not to make statements which would be “damaging” to Cyprus.

“The communications war we have to fight is unfortunately double,” Prodromou said during his address, adding that there are those in Cyprus who also have criticized the President for their own political reasons regarding the matter of whether the Guterres Framework refers to a written note on June 30, 2017 or verbal clarifications made on July 4, 2017, at the Swiss Resort of Crans – Montana.

It is very well known that intensive talks took place for 4 – 5 days in Crans-Montana on the Guterres Framework and it was necessary for some clarifications to take place because precisely it has been distorted at the time, he pointed out.

Referring to the effort for the resumption of Cyprus talks and a meeting Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades will have with UN SG’s envoy Jane Holl Lute, the Government Spokesman said that Guterres has asked for terms of reference, that is to say “for an agreement to take place before hand on what we seek and how we seek it.” What happened in Crans-Montana when Turkey was supposedly ready to discuss the matter of guarantees and withdrawal of the Turkish occupying army but never did, should not be repeated, he added.

“The Secretary General, justifiably, wants things to be more clear,” Prodromou noted.

He also said that a war is waged against Cyprus which also unfortunately takes place within the country and referred to a “past, bad reputation” Cyprus had that it is a base of questionable, suspect or even illegal activities.

According to the Spokesman in recent days this war has been revived but referred everyone to an official statement by Maxine Waters, Chairwoman of the US Congress Financial Committee, who visited Cyprus recently, ad who concludes that “Cyprus is up to the challenge.” This statement, he pointed out, is the answer to all those who try to tarnish the President or Cyprus as a whole.

The conference delegates were also briefed about investments in Cyprus by the chairman of the Cyprus Investment Promotion Agency, Michalis Michael. He referred to the five sectors on which CIPA is focusing, namely promoting headquartering, information and communication technology, education, the filming industry and investment funds and asked the overseas Cypriots to contribute to the efforts of the country to attract investors.
 
Kyriacos Kokkinos, the Chief Scientist for Research and Innovation of Cyprus spoke about research and innovation and noted that Cyprus for the first time is putting innovative entrepreneurship and startups as a top priority to widen the productive basis of its economy.
 
“Innovative entrepreneurship is our flagship for our next step to growth. We want to become the Israel of the EU”, he said, adding that their goal is to render Cyprus “a very competitive economy”.
 
 He also referred to the role of the Chief scientist and to the Government’s intention to set up a deputy ministry for innovation and digital policy.
 
Lastly, Maria Georgiadou, the managing director of “Cyprus seeds”, talked to the participants about this national effort to address the need to commercialize scientific research in Cyprus. She said this non profit initiative has gathered funds of around one million euro both from the government and the private sector, including the diaspora.