Message from the President of the Republic, Mr Nikos Christodoulides, on the 50th anniversary of the Turkish invasion 6DGO\ WKLV \HDU LV PDUNHG E\ D JULP PLOHVWRQH IRU RXU FRXQWU\ ,W PDUNV IW\ \HDUV VLQFH WKH tragic summer of 1974 which divided Cyprus – and our souls – in two. That tragic summer profoundly left its mark on the lives and future of our homeland. Fifty years have passed since the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, with all its devastating FRQVHTXHQFHV DQG LQΌLFWHG VXΊHULQJ 7KH RFFXS\LQJ WURRSV WKH VHSDUDWLRQ DQG ORQJ WHUP division of the land and its people. The brutal murders, the rapes, the unjust loss of hundreds of lives, amongst them children, the violent uprooting of thousands of families from their domicile. Fifty years of inquiring about the fate of our missing persons. Fifty years of ongoing, illegal military occupation of more than 36% of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus. Fifty years of violating fundamental freedoms and human rights of all Cypriots. Fifty years of illegal settlement, demographic, religious and cultural alteration of our land in the occupied areas. Fifty years is far too long. ,W LV WLPH IRU SHDFH OLEHUDWLRQ DQG IRU WKH UHXQLFDWLRQ RI RXU FRXQWU\ ,W LV RXU GXW\ DQG obligation to bequeath a free, reunited and prosperous homeland to our children, a member state of the European Union, where fundamental freedoms are safeguarded and defended, as it is the case in all member states of the European Union. It is our duty to do so on behalf of the thousands who have heroically lost their lives whilst defending the Republic of Cyprus on the front lines. To all those who remain enclaved in the occupied areas despite adversities and continuous hardship. $V WKH UVW 3UHVLGHQW RI WKH 5HSXEOLF RI &\SUXV ERUQ RQO\ D IHZ PRQWKV EHIRUH WKH 7XUNLVK LQYDVLRQ DQG UDLVHG LQ D GH IDFWR GLYLGHG &\SUXV P\ YLVLRQ LV WKH UHXQLFDWLRQ RI P\ FRXQWU\ and its people, so that we can all live in peace, security and prosperity. I have been serving WKLV YLVLRQ IURP WKH YHU\ UVW GD\ , DVVXPHG P\ GXWLHV DQG , DVVXUH \RX WKDW , ZLOO FRQWLQXH WR work towards this end with assertive realism, fortitude and determination. My aim is none other than achieving a viable and lasting solution on the basis of a bizonal, ELFRPPXQDO IHGHUDWLRQ ZLWK SROLWLFDO HTXDOLW\ DV GHQHG E\ UHOHYDQW 8QLWHG 1DWLRQV Security Council Resolutions and within the framework of the principles and values of the European Union. This is the only way forward for a prosperous future for us and our children, in a modern European state with a substantial role and voice in regional and European developments, for a homeland without barbed wires and occupying troops. Message from the President of the Republic, Mr Nikos Christodoulides, on the 50th anniversary of the Turkish invasion 6DGO\ WKLV \HDU LV PDUNHG E\ D JULP PLOHVWRQH IRU RXU FRXQWU\ ,W PDUNV IW\ \HDUV VLQFH WKH tragic summer of 1974 which divided Cyprus – and our souls – in two. That tragic summer profoundly left its mark on the lives and future of our homeland. Fifty years have passed since the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, with all its devastating FRQVHTXHQFHV DQG LQΌLFWHG VXΊHULQJ 7KH RFFXS\LQJ WURRSV WKH VHSDUDWLRQ DQG ORQJ WHUP division of the land and its people. The brutal murders, the rapes, the unjust loss of hundreds of lives, amongst them children, the violent uprooting of thousands of families from their domicile. Fifty years of inquiring about the fate of our missing persons. Fifty years of ongoing, illegal military occupation of more than 36% of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus. Fifty years of violating fundamental freedoms and human rights of all Cypriots. Fifty years of illegal settlement, demographic, religious and cultural alteration of our land in the occupied areas. Fifty years is far too long. ,W LV WLPH IRU SHDFH OLEHUDWLRQ DQG IRU WKH UHXQLFDWLRQ RI RXU FRXQWU\ ,W LV RXU GXW\ DQG obligation to bequeath a free, reunited and prosperous homeland to our children, a member state of the European Union, where fundamental freedoms are safeguarded and defended, as it is the case in all member states of the European Union. It is our duty to do so on behalf of the thousands who have heroically lost their lives whilst defending the Republic of Cyprus on the front lines. To all those who remain enclaved in the occupied areas despite adversities and continuous hardship. $V WKH UVW 3UHVLGHQW RI WKH 5HSXEOLF RI &\SUXV ERUQ RQO\ D IHZ PRQWKV EHIRUH WKH 7XUNLVK LQYDVLRQ DQG UDLVHG LQ D GH IDFWR GLYLGHG &\SUXV P\ YLVLRQ LV WKH UHXQLFDWLRQ RI P\ FRXQWU\ and its people, so that we can all live in peace, security and prosperity. I have been serving WKLV YLVLRQ IURP WKH YHU\ UVW GD\ , DVVXPHG P\ GXWLHV DQG , DVVXUH \RX WKDW , ZLOO FRQWLQXH WR work towards this end with assertive realism, fortitude and determination. My aim is none other than achieving a viable and lasting solution on the basis of a bizonal, ELFRPPXQDO IHGHUDWLRQ ZLWK SROLWLFDO HTXDOLW\ DV GHQHG E\ UHOHYDQW 8QLWHG 1DWLRQV Security Council Resolutions and within the framework of the principles and values of the European Union. This is the only way forward for a prosperous future for us and our children, in a modern European state with a substantial role and voice in regional and European developments, for a homeland without barbed wires and occupying troops.
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