The Minister of National Defence Dimitris Avramopoulos’ completed his official visit to Cyprus, where he represented Greece to the celebration for the 54th anniversary of the declaration of independence of the Republic of Cyprus.
After the completion of the military parade, the Minister of National Defence visited the Presidential Palace of Nicosia, where he was received by the President of the Republic of Cyprus Mr. Nikos Anastasiadis.
Mr. Avramopoulos visited the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Cyprus, where he held discussions with his Cypriot counterpart Christoforos Focaides. After that the two Ministers signed the “Common Crisis Management Memorandum”, at the presence of the Chief of HNDGS General Michail Kostarakos and the Chief of the National Guard Lieutenant General Georgios Basiakoulis.
In their statements, the two Ministers underlined, among others, the following:
D. AVRAMOPOULOS: “First of all, I would like to thank my colleague and friend, the Minister of Defence of Cyprus, for his cordial welcome and the excellent cooperation we had during all this time which essentially already presents the first actual results.
I would like to say that it is a special joy for me to be on the island of Cyprus. Besides, it is known that I have special bonds with this island since the first time I discovered Cyprus, when I was a university student, but also later, from any public post I served. I always held a special place for it in my heart an in my mission.
I am here so as to convey a message from Hellenism, from the motherland, a support message for Cyprus during its incessant effort to put an end to the Cyprus issue; something we all have in mind and I believe that the day when we will see the island united once again and Greek-Cypriots and Turk-Cypriots reconciled, walking the European path of progress and growth, will not be late.
Today is a special day since it is the anniversary of Cyprus’ independence. The meaning of independence is deeper and it is the one we should also serve in the future until seeing, dear Minister, all Cypriots celebrating together.
My meeting with the President of the Hellenic Republic was essential, cordial and sincere, and we had the opportunity to brief each other and exchange views on the course of our national issue.
In addition, to analyse new data that have been created in the region, which reinforce and re-scale Cyprus’ geostrategic and geopolitical role in a broader region which is shaken by new forms of dangers and threats that are demonstrated at Europe’s borderline and are a matter of security, not only for our region, but for the entire world.
Cyprus’ defence system has made spectacular steps forward. It may be small, yet it is modern and effective. It shields Cyprus but, at the same time, it is ready to respond to all challenges and serve, jointly with Greece, initiatives that aim at consolidating peace and stability in the region.
It is important to promote at any chance this new geopolitical role of Cyprus that finally convinces that Cyprus can play roles and assume missions.
In the framework of this cooperation between Greek and Cypriot defence issues, we signed today a memorandum of cooperation for technical –and not only– cooperation, exchange of information and know-how, so as to form one more new context which will not only bring defence systems closer together, but help two European counties cooperate for the prevention of dangers we commonly face.
At this point, I would like to make an observation, since a false interpretation could easily occur. It is not an agreement aiming at offensive scopes. On the contrary; it contributes, through what was described earlier by the Minister, to the formation of an environment of security, since Greece and Cyprus’ defence systems, besides their goal which is to ensure integrity and independence for Greece and Cyprus respectively, put their services to other, common for all Europe and the entire region, goals.
Greece and Cyprus historically march through the centuries close to one another. Ever since our modern states were formed, we were facing common problems. Undoubtedly, the greatest of all is the one linked to today’s anniversary, the Cypriots’ struggle for independence and freedom.
It is a tree that has been watered with too much blood. We owe honour and recognition to those who came before our generations, but also to stay loyal to our own duty.
We must maintain this flag of the Independence of Cyprus up and proud.
We believe that Cyprus’ independence can be completed only when the island will be reunited, in order for conditions of common harmonious coexistence -as they were in the past- to be created between Greek-Cypriots and Turk-Cypriots.
The policy exercised by the Cypriot government is prudent and I hope that this message of prudence will be realised by both leaderships of the Turk-Cypriot community and of neighbouring Turkey.
We should all realise that we have great responsibilities as far as the formation of a geopolitical environment of security, certainty, peace and progress is concerned, since this is what is asked from the citizens of all countries on the region, and their leaderships as well.
During this new effort that the Cypriot government has started, Greece will be present by its side. We will contribute in every possible way so as to lead to the desired result, as soon as possible. The synergies developed, the cooperation promoted, the memoranda written aim at that.
Therefore, it is a message towards Cypriot Hellenism, that Greece will be the guarantor for its security and integrity. This is Greece’s commitment to Cyprus.
I would like to believe that this fully responds to the deeper feelings of love and solidarity that link Cypriot Hellenism to its motherland.
Dear Minister and my good friend, I said it at the beginning and I repeat it now, our cooperation throughout this time was admirable, cordial and this will continue in the future. Of course, things change…
Soon I will leave the Ministry of Defence to go where my new duties call me. Be sure that, in the name of my new mission, I will further contribute to the enhancement of cooperation between all countries in order to create a security grid, always in the context of my pertinence concerning these important issues I will be called to face, and I will need the help, synergy and support by the Cypriot state.
However, what will never change when missions change is what we deeper feel inside. As I always did every time I had a new tenure, which I started and ended with a visit to Cyprus, today I would like to say a big thanks to you personally, the Cypriot political leadership, but also to those who occupied our posts before us, for our excellent, cordial and sincere cooperation, which was based on truth, friendship and honesty. I believe that those were the elements which brought tangible results we can feel proud for.
In the future, I will continue in this spirit. I would like to wish to you personally good luck to the hard task and the important mission assigned to you by the Cypriot state, and assure you that you can always count to my love and our friendship, so that I can be useful to Cyprus, to our Homeland in general, and specifically to our new big country, Europe, which brought us even closer to each other.
Thank you again. I am glad that we are signing this memorandum of cooperation which took a little longer to be prepared and I ought to congratulate you, because you set it as a priority from the very first moment you took office.
And I am sure that today you are glad for two reasons, because you see something that took a long time and yet is very essential and useful to be implemented and it will contribute even more to Cyprus and Greece coming closer to each other, always serving the same causes and in the name of our strategy, as well as of the needs of our wider neighbourhood which – I am sure of it – will soon turn into an oasis of peace, security and an example of coexistence of peoples, nations and states.
And the best example will be the peaceful coexistence of Greek and Turkish Cypriots and I wish the policy which is followed currently and bears the signature of a very serious leader of the Cyprus’ Republic that is President Anastasiadis, as well of his team whose member are you too, to be successful and bring results.
I thank you again for your cordiality, friendship and I keep always the best of feelings to you, to our Cyprus, looking forward to what we all dream about.”
C. FOCAIDES: “I am very pleased to welcome today here at the Ministry my counterpart and friend, Dimitris Avramopoulos, who is in Cyprus today to represent the Greek government in the context of the celebrations for the 54th anniversary from the declaration of independence of the Cyprus’ Republic.
The presence of the Greek Minister of National Defence in Cyprus confirms the unbreakable fraternal bonds of our two countries, as well as Greece’s undisputable support to Greek Cypriots’ struggle for the occupation to stop and for a fair and sustainable solution to be found for the Cyprus issue.
Today, we had the opportunity during also the meeting that took place in the Presidential Palace to brief our friend, the Minister, as well as to review together the final developments of our national issue in view of the latest and particularly important geopolitical changes in our region.
We also informed our friend, the Minister, on issues pertinent to energy security and to the exercise of the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus, in relation to the ongoing procedure of implementing our energy planning, after the discovery of hydrocarbons within Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone.
We also had the possibility to discuss about the wider geopolitical developments that take place in Eastern Mediterranean and the wider Middle East and which regard the international, as well as our national security.
Greece and Cyprus are the main pillars of stability, security and democracy in our wider region.
At a time when armed violence and fundamentalism are rising, in a region tormented by ethnic and civil conflicts, Greece and Cyprus have an extremely important and upgraded role to play, in the framework of the more general effort to create conditions of peace, stability and regional security.
Confronting new asymmetric threats caused by the rise of international terrorism presupposes, of course, the cooperation and coordination of the international community.
Cyprus and Greece will be together in this common struggle along with of our partners against anything may be a threat for the security and the very existence of our open democratic societies and for modern civilization.
At the same time, wishing to protect and reinforce the defence cooperation between us and aiming always at defending our territorial integrity and at protecting our state sovereignty, we signed the “Common Crisis Management Memorandum” today between the two countries.
The Common Crisis Management Memorandum is a confirmation of the continuous reinforcement and upgrade of our permanent and constant bilateral cooperation.
The Memorandum provides for the exchange of information and estimations of the situation in the nearest region, the coordination of actions of crisis management bodies and agencies of both countries and taking measures for the common confrontation of any situation following a common understanding and common decision.
Thus, it is one more tool for both governments to achieve further institutional deepening of our close relation and our cooperation in the field of defence and security.
Dean friend, Minister,
I wish, as a conclusion, to express once more on behalf of the Cypriot government our warm thanks and our deep gratitude to the Greek government for the continuous and disinterested support to Cyprus and to our struggle.
At the same time, I wish to thank you personally. From the very first moment when I took office as Minister of Defence, our cooperation has been absolutely honest and excellent at all levels.
I particularly wish to thank you for being here today, accompanied by the Chief of HNDGS, to honour with your presence today’s parade on the occasion of the anniversary of the independence of Cyprus, as well as to sign he Common Crisis Management Memorandum.
On the occasion of the forthcoming assumption of your new duties in the EU as Commissioner of Migration and Home Office, I wish to congratulate you from the bottom of my heart and wish you the best of success.
The extremely significant portfolio you assume is an acknowledgement of your multifaceted experience and your leadership skills, as well as recognition of the role Greece can play within the European Union.
I am sure that you will succeed and be distinguished at your new post too. I have no doubt that your work will be the great benefit of Europe, Greece and Cyprus.
I wish you the best of success. Thank you.”