Christodoulides: Stronger international role sends message to Ankara

Strengthening the Republic of Cyprus’ international standing and its role in regional and European developments is intended, in the longer term, to send messages to Ankara about the consequences of maintaining the status quo on the island, President Nikos Christodoulides said on Friday. Speaking at the University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki, where he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Department of International and European Studies, Christodoulides said Cyprus was pursuing a foreign policy aimed at enhancing the country’s credibility and international standing. “A longer-term objective is also to send specific messages to Ankara concerning the consequences for Turkey itself of the continuation of the unacceptable status quo on the island,” he said. He explained that the government’s approach was to demonstrate, through concrete actions rather than public relations, the contribution Cyprus could make to regional and European developments. “Our aim is to demonstrate, not through communication but through substance, through specific actions based on a concrete plan and strategy, that the Republic of Cyprus, always within its capabilities, has added value and a role in shaping regional and European developments,” he said. He added that this would help both efforts to resolve the Cyprus problem and the substance of any eventual settlement. “With a foreign policy that is no longer focused on a single issue, Cyprus has now become a positive point of reference and a pillar of stability and security in the region,” he said. Christodoulides said the Republic was increasingly regarded as “a reliable and predictable partner and provider of security” in a region marked by instability and uncertainty. Referring to the history of the Cyprus problem, he said an examination of settlement initiatives and proposed solutions dating back to 1948 showed that they had largely been shaped by regional and international circumstances. “The need to settle the Cyprus problem arose, primarily, from the conditions prevailing in the regional and international environment at any given time,” he said. Following the Second World War, he said, the Greek Cypriot demand for self-determination and union with Greece was regarded as an inconvenience, with the interests of the major powers taking precedence over the aspirations of Cypriots. On Britain’s role, Christodoulides said that “in the history of the Cyprus problem and the settlement plans submitted or discussed up until 1960, a decisive role was played by London’s desperate efforts to maintain its leading role in the Middle East and the importance the British attached to Ankara in achieving this particular strategic objective.” He added that “the decisive influence of external factors on the development and history of the Cyprus problem continued after the end of the colonial period, as is clearly reflected in the founding agreements of the Republic of Cyprus, including the Treaties of Guarantee and Alliance, as well as the retention of British military bases on the island.” During the Cold War, Washington gradually took the lead, he said, seeking to exclude Moscow from the Mediterranean, maintain and strengthen NATO cohesion and prevent a possible Greek-Turkish war. He said external factors continued to influence settlement initiatives after the 1974 Turkish invasion and the occupation of 37 per cent of the Republic’s territory. Christodoulides described Cyprus’ accession to the European Union in 2004 as “undoubtedly the most important achievement of Nicosia since 1960”, and potentially one of the most significant achievements of Greek diplomacy since 1974. He said EU membership had fundamentally changed the framework within which a settlement could be pursued. “Any solution must be compatible with the principles, values and, above all, the law of the EU,” he said. The president said strengthening the Republic’s internal and external capabilities also served the overriding objective of ending the Turkish occupation and reunifying the island. “Our vision is the transformation of the Republic of Cyprus into a free and sovereign state throughout its territory, without an occupying army, without guarantors and without intervention rights,” he said. He reiterated that any settlement must be based on the agreed framework, respect the negotiating acquis and comply with EU principles, values and law. Turning to domestic policy, Christodoulides referred to efforts to introduce reforms, modernise institutions, strengthen the rule of law, combat corruption, address migration and improve the country’s deterrent capabilities, social welfare and security. He said these objectives depended on a strong and resilient economy supported by responsible fiscal policy. Cyprus had recently returned to an ‘A’ investment-grade rating from all international credit rating agencies for the first time since 2011, he said. Public debt had fallen below 50 per cent of GDP, while unemployment stood at 3.6 per cent, a level not recorded since 2008. Together with the fiscal surplus, he said, these conditions provided the financial capacity to support households and businesses facing inflationary pressures and high energy and housing costs. Christodoulides also spoke of the longstanding ties between Cyprus and the University of Macedonia, noting that thousands of Cypriots had graduated from the institution and its predecessor, the Higher Industrial School of Thessaloniki. He also expressed gratitude to Greece and the Greek people for their contribution to Cyprus’ efforts to end the occupation and achieve reunification.