António Guterres knows the ABCs of the EU

Opinion Antonio GuterresCyprus problemeuEuropean UnionunUnited Nations António Guterres knows the ABCs of the EU António Guterres Knows The Abcs Of The Eu Relevant News He wasn’t waiting for any bus 29 July 2026 António Guterres knows the ABCs of the EU 29 July 2026 Moni fields sell for €55m in Cyprus’s biggest H1 land deal 29 July 2026 Costas Venizelos 29 July 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber UN Secretary-General António Guterres is a European, and for most of his political career he operated within the framework of the EU. Among other roles, he served as Prime Minister of his own country, Portugal, and from that position, he knows very well what it means to be a member state of the Union, what obligations that entails, and how it functions. These are important qualities — and also useful tools — in dealing with international issues. Especially when the problem he is addressing as UN Secretary-General is a European one, since it concerns a member state. Everyone who participates in, operates within, and belongs to the EU — including, of course, the head of the United Nations — knows the obvious. In the European Union, a member state does not function with democratic deficits, with restricted rights and freedoms for its citizens. Arrangements cannot and must not be adopted with the aim of confirming or legitimising events that took place fifty-two years ago through military force. In other words, legitimising illegality. Legitimising violations of international law. In the European Union, the functioning of a member state is not based on, or determined by, national origin, but on the democratic principle of equality among citizens. If there is division along the lines of national origin, this preserves the problem, keeps it open, and perpetuates the division. It institutionalises discrimination between citizens based on national origin. It perpetuates and reinforces nationalism and tensions. In the European Union, no state depends on a third country — one that is not even a member. And of course, it is not possible for occupying troops, under any guise or umbrella, to be legitimised through the achievement of an agreement. Certainly, they cannot, under any form or disguise, be part of a security system. In any case, in a proper, democratic solution, security is provided by the European Union itself. Secretary-General António Guterres knows that the European Union functions through the combination of different views, which through dialogue lead to consensus. Impositions are avoided as much as possible. Of course there are powerful players who shape the game, but what matters most is that a consensual solution is always found. All of this — set out in Community law, in the acquis communautaire, which governs the functioning of the European Union’s member states — is very well known to Mr António Guterres, since he worked to promote it, and to defend it, when he served his own country. At the same time, he defended human rights as UN High Commissioner for Refugees. He is, therefore, well versed in European and international treaties. He knows the characteristics of a normal state. When he personally intervened — once again — in 2017, he had accepted the remark of Greece’s then Foreign Minister, Nikos Kotzias, that Cyprus, through a solution, must become a normal state. Nikos Kotzias had been saying this about a normal state since 2015. With his trip to Cyprus, the Secretary-General confirmed once again his personal interest in the Cyprus problem. No one should doubt that. Nor his intentions. At the same time, it is clear that he knows very well what, properly, must be done. An agreement concerning the Republic of Cyprus must lead to a normal state, deeply democratic, with all the characteristics that govern the functioning of every member of the European Union. And not in theory, but in practice. After all, this would work to the benefit of the country, its citizens, and the EU. Subscribe to our Newsletter Latest News He wasn’t waiting for any bus Moni fields sell for €55m in Cyprus’s biggest H1 land deal Irresponsibility that must be punished Communities demand firing range closure following fire, years of problems EAC continues smart meter rollout across Cyprus in August Rehabilitation centre licensing gets underway across Cyprus Things to do on Wednesday, July 29 Follow en.philenews on Google News and be the first to know all the news about Cyprus and the world.