President to focus on six topics in his address before the UN General Assembly

Cyprus President, Nikos Christodoulides, will focus on six topics during his address at the 78th session of the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, 20 September.

The biggest part of his speech will have to do with the Cyprus problem and efforts being made for the resumption of the negotiations from where they left off in Crans Montana.

This is his first speech at this high-level political event, that is attended by leaders from all over the world, since he was elected and assumed his duties.

Message to Erdogan

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The Cyprus News Agency has learnt that in his 12-page speech, President Christodoulides will give clear answers to the positions which Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed on Tuesday in his speech before the UN General Assembly.

Addressing the Turkish President, he will send the message that due to geography which cannot be changed, Cyprus and Turkey will always be neighbouring countries and that a Cyprus settlement can enhance and upgrade the region. Moreover, he will call on Erdogan to accept the resumption of the negotiations from where they were left off, reiterating that the settlement of the Cyprus problem can lead to a mutually beneficial state of affairs.

Appointment of an envoy

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As regards the appointment of a UN envoy for the Cyprus problem, President Christodoulides will highlight the importance of such a move as was underlined by the UN Security Council in its unanimous recent statement about the incident in the buffer zone in Pyla area, and on the basis of the positions conveyed to him by the Presidents of the EU institutions during the talks he had with them on September 18 and 19 in New York.

Furthermore, he will note that the appointment of a UNSG envoy will constitute an important step for the EU to undertake an active role as well during the next period of time, something that constitutes an important dimension as regards efforts made for the resumption of the negotiations.

The first President who belongs to the post – war generation

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Christodoulides will highlight the fact that he is the first President of the Republic of Cyprus who belongs to the post – war generation. This reference is not only of symbolic value but mostly has a substantive value, since this generation had to grow up in an occupied country, did not experience the invasion and never lived in a free Cyprus and is now called to work in order to reunite it.

Message to new generation of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots

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Christodoulides will recall that Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots used to live peacefully together in the past and will send a message to the new generation of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots about the need to create such circumstances again through a Cyprus settlement.

Messages from Turkish Cypriots

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He will also refer to the many messages that he received from Turkish Cypriots after the interview he gave recently to a Turkish Cypriot journalist. These people conveyed to him their will for a Cyprus settlement, support his commitment to the agreed solution framework and the fact that he undertakes initiatives, and acknowledge his effort to create a positive climate.

Historic mission and role of the UN

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The President will also refer to the historic mission and the role of the UN, underlining that the invasion of Ukraine is not the first one after the second World War and that the hard times that Cyprus has suffered for 49 years now as a result of the invasion and the occupation constitute an issue related to the principles of the UN Charter.

President Christodoulides is expected to address the UN GA at 0930 local time for about 15 minutes.

At 1600 local time, Christodoulides will meet, in the framework of the coordination between Nicosia and Athens, with the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who earlier at 1100 will have a meeting with the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

During the meeting, Mitsotakis will brief President Christodoulides about his discussion with Erdogan.

Christodoulides will also receive after his speech at the UN General Assembly Chevron International Chairman.

Also, after his meeting with Mitsotakis he will have a meeting with Archbishop of America Elpidophoros.

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. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.

(Source: CNA)