Fifty-two years after the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, in blatant violation of international law and the United Nations Charter, the Island continues to suffer the painful trauma of the occupation of a large part of the country by Turkish military forces and all the tragic consequences that this has caused.
We honor with deep respect the victims—Cypriots and Greeks—who bravely resisted the invader in order to defend the sovereignty, territorial integrity and freedom of Cyprus.
We do not forget the missing persons, the displaced, the enclaved and all those who, to this day, are deprived of fundamental freedoms and human rights within their own homeland.
The resolution of the Cyprus issue remains a top priority of Greek foreign policy. A member state of the European Union, such as Cyprus, must continue to enjoy the same and even greater support from the common European institutions and from each country individually so that the last wall in Europe may finally fall.
In coordination and close cooperation with the Republic of Cyprus, we will continue to support the efforts of the United Nations General Secretary to resume negotiations to resolve the issue on the basis of the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and in accordance with the European acquis, aiming at the reunification of Cyprus and the restoration of the rights and freedoms of all Cypriot citizens.
