The President of the Republic of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades conveyed here today the vision of former President Glafcos Clerides for reconciliation in Cyprus, who died last Friday, aged 94.

Delivering the eulogy at Clerides’ funeral, President Anastasiades paid tribute to Clerides, the man and “Leader”, as he put it, and spoke of the leading role he played in shaping the history of Cyprus.

He also spoke of the former President’s dedication to democracy, his tolerance of opposing views, his vision and his efforts during his ten year term in office at the helm of the Republic to reach a viable and functional solution of the Cyprus issue and to achieve the goal of EU accession.

The political legacy of Glafcos Clerides, he said, is that of “understanding, dialogue and reconciliation”, adding that Clerides “has laid the foundations allowing all the people of Cyprus, Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Maronites, Armenians and Latins to legitimately look forward to better days in our common homeland”.

Cyprus remains divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Previous UN led efforts to reunite the island under a federal roof have failed.

The Cyprus President sent a message, which was also Glafcos Clerides’ vision, expressing his “determination to work tirelessly in order to reach a solution based on the High Level Agreements, UN resolutions and European principles and values leading to a  modern state, which will respect and protect the human rights of all its legitimate citizens”.

“In my view, it is time to move beyond the reasonable suspicion caused by past passions and hatred because we deserve a better future”, he noted.

He further stressed that Cyprus “cannot be about conflict over yesterday or today, but rather about the vision, optimism and hope for the future; ours and our children’s future”.

At the same time he expressed the hope that my Turkish Cypriot compatriots and Turkey share the same vision and will work in this direction, keeping away from any other considerations so that Clerides’ lifelong vision can be achieved.

President Anastasiades referred to the most important chapters of Clerides’ life, starting with his choice to interrupt his studies and volunteer in the British Royal Air Force in the Second World War, during which his plane was shot down over Germany and he was captured.

He pointed out that the War indelibly marked Clerides’ character as from its ashes his vision of a united and peaceful Europe was born.

President Anastasiades spoke of his participation in the 1955 – 1959 EOKA liberation struggle during which he defended numerous ΕΟΚΑ fighters arrested by the British, as well as of his stand against national division and his efforts to reach an agreement which would improve the Constitution after independence.

In the difficult times Cyprus faced in 1974 after the coup engineered by the Greek Junta and the Turkish invasion of Cyprus he became Acting President in the absence of Archbishop Makarios and managed to rebuild the state’s structures, guard the status of the Republic of Cyprus, free prisoners of war, find missing persons, support the enclaved, (Greek Cypriots living in the Turkish occupied part of Cyprus), offer relief to refugees and honour those who perished defending the country.

The House of Representatives, the Hellenic Republic and the international community see in his person an honorable politician, who under difficult circumstances managed through the chaos to keep the state together, he pointed out.

Referring to his term in office as President of the Republic between 1993 and 2003, President Anastasiades said that he undertook a multifaceted effort to enhance relations with Greece, to reach a viable and functional solution of the Cyprus issue and to achieve the great national and strategic goal of EU accession.

Clerides managed to by-pass international reactions and stifling political pressure and achieved the historic decision taken by the European Council of Copenhagen on December 12 2002 on Cyprus’ EU accession, despite Ankara’s threats, he noted.

The Cyprus President expressed his gratitude to Clerides for teaching him, as he said, that in critical moments, a leader cannot serve his country through rhetoric but through bold and decisive steps and through ignoring possible political costs.

Glafcos Clerides died at 18.20 hours local time last Friday, aged 94. He founded in 1976 the Democratic Rally (DISY), which he served as president until his election to the presidency of the Republic in 1993.