Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades, has said that “both in Europe and the UN, and elsewhere as well, our effort is to prevent, through a multi-level foreign policy, any faits accomplis that Turkey is trying to create.”

Addressing an unveiling ceremony of the monument for the historic battle of Ayia Napa that took place in 1826, in the framework of the Greek Revolution of 1821 for the overthrow of the Ottoman Empire, Anastasiades said that what we are seeking, what we are aiming is for Cyprus to get rid of the occupation troops, of any guarantees, of any dependency by third parties.

“What we pursue is the respect of human rights of every Cypriot citizen,” he noted, adding that “we do not discriminate people based on their national origin. What we want is to have European citizens who will enjoy the same rights as the rest European citizens,” he added.

Anastasiades noted that “we proceeded to the talks (for a Cyprus settlement) with determination and much dignity, claiming that political equality cannot be interpreted as political inequality. We do respect and accept that there needs to be mutual respect, but not only from one side, it must come from both sides, not only from one community but from both of them,” he underlined.

The President noted that the people of Cyprus need to be left alone to live in independence and sovereignty. “This is the state we are seeking, a state that will respect the EU principles and values, that will respect the human rights of all citizens, and above all that will respect the values of democracy,” he underlined.

Anastasiades said that we do not agree with any other choice that has been tabled by the Turkish and the Turkish Cypriot side, stressing that with such proposals it is not possible to have a settlement that could be compatible with the international law, the EU acquis and the values that we endorse. 

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