On Monday 15 July 2024, the Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias visited Cyprus.

Mr. Dendias visited the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Cyprus, where he met with his counterpart Vasilis Palmas.

After the official welcoming, a private meeting took place between the two Ministers and discussions followed between the two delegations. Discussions were attended by Chief of Cypriot National Guard General Staff, Lieutenant General Georgios Tsitsikostas, the General Director of the Ministry of Defence of Cyprus Andreas P. Louka, the Ambassador of Greece in Nicosia Ioannis Papameletiou, members of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Cyprus, as well as of the Cypriot National Guard General Staff.

During the joint statements to the Press, the Minister of National Defence pointed out the following:

“My dear Vasilis,

First I need to refer to today’s Dark Anniversary. It has been fifty years since 15 July 1974, the date of the junta coup in Cyprus, a coup against the nation that opened the back door to the intruder who was lurking.

I express my deepest respect and patriotic gratitude to the Cypriot and Greek fighters of Democracy and the unequal confrontation in 1974 against the invasion. They faced superior military forces under the burden of the fratricidal criminal coup.

We remember them with respect and we honour their contribution. Of course, we absolutely condemn the Turkish-Cypriot fiestas of shame and the sacrilegious illegal presence for half a century of the Turkish invasion Army in Cyprus.

My dear Vasilis, thank you for the warm welcome, the cordial meeting. My visit gives us the opportunity to expand the solid bases on which the defence relations of Cyprus and Greece are built on. Afterwards, I will be received by President Christodoulides and I will have the honour to meet with His Beatitude the Archbishop of Cyprus Georgios.

The message is always clear: Our relationship is unbreakable, between Greece and Cyprus, with respect of the United Nations Charter, International Law, the International Law of the Sea, and absolute condemnation of the use of force or threat of force.

At this point I would like to say that Greece never ignores threats against Cyprus, wherever they come from. Either from states or terrorist organisations that claim a role in the international arena, with the support of illegal missile arsenals.

With Vasilis we pointed out the need to further deepen our defence relations within the EU and also – as he himself said – other trilateral and multilateral schemes we are part of.

We understand the view that the EU must create a powerful defence arm, an arm capable of defending first the single European space, but – going one step further – what this space expresses, Democracy, Freedom, International Law, the Acquits Communautaire, the Protection of Human Rights.

So, we pointed out the need of creating an arm with a single defence ecosystem that supports that arm.

I mean that the Hellenic Centre of Defence Innovation with just a few months of operation, has already made important steps in that direction, that is the creation of an ecosystem of defence innovation. This ecosystem is open to friendly countries and of course even more so in the case of the Republic of Cyprus.

I also had the opportunity to brief Vasilis on the “2030 Agenda”, the greatest reform of the Hellenic Armed Forces ever, as the Greek Prime Minister, Mr. Mitsotakis, said. I have said before that once completed, Hellenism will have the most powerful Armed Forces in its long history. It is a great pleasure to share with Cyprus the lessons learned from these reforms.

I also had the opportunity to be informed on the latest developments of the Cyprus Issue. I pointed out our steadfast, absolute, non-negotiable support for the achievement of a just and viable solution. It is described in the resolutions of the Security Council of the United Nations for a bi-zonal, bi-communal Federation, always compatible with the acquits communautaire.

Of course, from here, from Nicosia, I must say that it is unacceptable for a European capital, the capital of an EU member state, a member of the United Nations, to be divided for half a century, to have green or any other coloured lines. Of course, it is not acceptable that International Law and the United Nations Charter have been violated for the past 50 years.

We also had the opportunity with Vasilis to exchange views on the situation in the Middle East and the Red Sea. As pillars of stability and security, both countries work together to de-escalate the tensions in the broader region. Both countries participate in “ASPIDES”, the greatest defensive naval operation conducted by the EU in its history. So, both countries contribute to the effort of securing freedom of navigation.

We protect the ships and the lives of our seamen who serve on these ships, but we also protect our economies and the standard of living of our citizens.

Furthermore, we discussed Plan “AMALTHEA” that highlights the primary role that the Republic of Cyprus can play in dealing with the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The Republic of Cyprus does that. It takes the necessary steps to create a sea humanitarian corridor.

I offered Vasilis the readiness of Greece to help with ships of the Hellenic Fleet for the transport of food and basic necessities in Gaza, so that the Palestinians can be relieved.

Again dear Vasilis, I would like to conclude with the obvious conclusion. The unity of Hellenism constitutes a requirement of the survival of the Greeks. Division, well-known to us Greeks historically, always chases us, it has only brought national disasters and defeats. History has proven both of the above. Today’s anniversary reminds us of that in the most tragic manner. Thank you for your hospitality”.

Next, the Minister of National Defence went to the Presidential Residence of Nicosia and was received by the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides.

Concluding his official visit in Cyprus, Mr. Dendias was also received by the Archbishop of Nova Justiniana and All Cyprus Georgios.