The President of the Republic received the Ambassadors of the Permanent Members of the UN Security Council
08/02/2010 The Permanent Members of the UN Security Council, through their Ambassadors to Cyprus, have expressed all their support to the President of the Republic´s efforts to reunify the island and welcomed the progress achieved in the negotiations. more...
Joint Press Conference by the President of the Republic, the United Nations Secretary-General and the Turkish Cypriot leader
01/02/2010 The President of the Republic Mr Demetris Christofias, the United Nations Secretary- General Mr Ban Ki-moon and the Turkish Cypriot leader Mr Mehmet Ali Talat gave today a joint press conference at Nicosia airport. In his opening statement Mr Ban made the following remarks: "I am pleased to be joined by His Excellency Mr Christofias and His Excellency Mr Talat. I want to pay tribute to them both for their strong commitment and resolve. As you know, I have come to Cyprus to show my personal support to the Cypriot-led and–owned process to reunify the island. And I wanted to be here now because I recognize how important it is to continue to build momentum on what the leaders have achieved up to now. This has been a productive and constructive day. I have said that the world is watching. Today the world is seeing two leaders who are rising to the challenge. more...
Address by the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr. Demetris Christofias at the banquet in honour of the Secretary-General of the United Nations Mr. Ban Ki-moon
31/01/2010 Your Excellency the Secretary-General of the United Nations, It is with great pleasure that I welcome you, your spouse and the members of your delegation to Cyprus. Since 1964, the United Nations has been dealing with the problem of Cyprus. Foreign interventions, together with inter-communal strife, led to the forcible division of our country in 1974. We are grateful that the United Nations Security Council, acting on the principles of international law, has determined the basis for a bizonal, bicommunal federal solution with political equality, as set out in the relevant Security Council resolutions, with a single sovereignty, a single international personality and a single citizenship. This is the basis to which Mehmet Ali Talat and myself, as leaders of the two communities, have agreed. We are deeply grateful for the United Nations support for the withdrawal of foreign troops from Cyprus and the restoration of the rights and freedoms of the people of Cyprus. We are thankful to you, Mr. Secretary-General, because under your auspices, in the framework of the good offices mission, the two communities are again at the negotiating table in order to work together to reach a mutually agreed and peaceful solution. more...
Address by the President of the Republic Mr Demetris Christofias at the official dinner of the Cyprus Shipping Chamber, in Nicosia
28/01/2010 It gives me great pleasure to be present tonight at the official dinner of the Cyprus Shipping Chamber, among so many distinguished friends and guests. This event has now become an annual tradition and provides the opportunity for the strengthening of social relations between the officials of the Cyprus shipping industry and our country’s state officials. Tonight’s event also gives me the opportunity to reiterate the state’s appreciation for all of you, the Cyprus shipping officials, who for years now have faith in the Republic of Cyprus and our flag; to express the state’s respect towards all of you, who with your activities contribute to the impressive development of the Cyprus shipping industry. The Government attributes great importance to the Shipping Sector as one of the important pylons of growth, but also as a powerful pillar of the Cyprus economy. The relations between the Government and the Cyprus Shipping Chamber have been built on this basis and can only be described as excellent and mutually beneficial. more...
Statements by the President of the Republic
27/01/2010 “The United Nations are the competent authorities to announce the UN Secretary General’s visit to Cyprus”, the President of the Republic Mr Demetris Christofias stated yesterday. In statements to the press on his return to the Presidential Palace from the residence of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in Cyprus, where he held talks with the Turkish Cypriot leader Mr Mehmet Ali Talat in the framework of the second round of intensive talks on the Cyprus problem, President Christofias said that the discussions will also continue tomorrow. more...
Statements by the President of the Republic
26/01/2010 “The goal must be for the talks to succeed and to get close to a solution of the Cyprus problem”, the President of the Republic Mr Demetris Christofias said yesterday, underlining that this is his goal. At the same time, he expressed the wish and hope that this goal is understood on the home front as well. In statements to the press on his return to the Presidential Palace from the residence of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in Cyprus, where he held intensive talks on the Cyprus problem with the Turkish Cypriot leader Mr Mehmet Ali Talat, President Christofias said: “today was mainly spent on tête-à-tête meetings between myself and Mr Talat. At times when we needed to have deliberations with the teams, we did so. A sincere effort is made by both sides, in order to reach new convergences on these issues. It is not an easy task, nor is it a hopeless one, I must say. We will continue tomorrow”. more...
Statements by the President of the Republic
25/01/2010 The President of the Republic Mr Demetris Christofias, asked by the press yesterday, on the sidelines of the inauguration ceremony of the new wing and the museums of St Rafael and St Marina Church in Xylotymbou village, to comment on the intention of the US President Mr Barack Obama to appoint a special envoy on the Cyprus problem, said: “the information on the appointment of an envoy by Mr Obama is not just information. It is something that has already been announced also by representatives of the Greek Cypriot community, who have discussed it with the official aides of Mr Obama. If Mr Obama decides to appoint a special envoy - representative, he is welcome. Provided that the policies of the United States will respect the Republic of Cyprus and contribute to just and viable solution, we would welcome such a representative”. In response to another press question, President Christofias said that there are no foreign plans on the negotiating table, but the fact that the negotiating process is owned by the Cypriots does not mean that the government does not want the help of the international community. more...
Statement by the President of the Republic, Mr. Demetris Christofias, following his meeting and the working lunch in honour of Mr. Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council, in Nicosia
21/01/2010 It is with great pleasure that I welcome my friend to Cyprus, the President of the European Council, Mr. Herman Van Rompuy. I take this opportunity to wish him success in the high office he has recently assumed. It gives me great pleasure that Mr. Van Rompuy visited Cyprus so soon after his election. We had a very positive and warm meeting during which we had the opportunity to exchange views on a number of issues. I have informed the President of the European Council on the latest developments in the process of direct talks for finding a solution to the Cyprus problem and I have presented the positions and proposals the Greek-Cypriot community has submitted, on the issues discussed so far. more...
The President of the Republic Mr Demetris Christofias received the UN Secretary-General's Special Adviser to Cyprus Mr A. Downer
20/01/2010 "We have been positive about the process, of having two intensive rounds of talks", UN Secretary General’s Special Adviser to Cyprus Mr Alexander Downer said today, after being received by the President of the Republic Mr Demetris Christofias, at the Presidential Palace. Speaking to the press after the meeting, Mr Downer said that he regularly meets with President Christofias as he does with the Turkish Cypriot leader Mr Mehmet Ali Talat, adding that "it is an opportunity for us to review where we are at in the talks and obviously making preparations for next week's intensive talks which will take place on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday." more...
Letter of the President of the Republic Mr. Demetris Christofias sent to the five Permanent Members of the UN Security Council and the heads of EU member-states
20/01/2010 I am writing to inform you about the latest developments in the Cyprus negotiations and to submit an evaluation of the recently submitted proposals of the Turkish side. It is well known that the separate referenda of April 2004 on the comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem were followed by a stalemate of three years. Immediately after my election as President, in February, 2008, I took a series of initiatives that led to the commencement of intercommunal talks which continue until today. As agreed with the Secretary-General of the UN, these negotiations are conducted on the basis of the principle of Cypriot ownership, without strict timetables and without any possibility of a new arbitration. It is also agreed that the negotiations are conducted under the auspices of the UN, whose role is to facilitate. more...