The Minister of National Defence Mr. Panos Panagiotopoulos visited today the Headquarters of the Hellenic Force in Cyprus (ELDYK) at the military camp “Lt. Gen Stavrianakos” in Malounda.
The Minister of National Defence was briefed by the commandment of ELDYK on all matters of his pertinence, he visited the Military Museum of ELDYK and discussed with the military personnel.
After his visit, Mr. Panagiotopoulos made the following statement:
“I am here at “Stavrianakos” camp of ELDYK and the military museum of ELDYK to honour the soldiers serving here. The boys who have come by the four corners of Greece to serve their military service in Cyprus and to carry on their shoulders a big portion of our national issue of supporting and shielding the defence of Cypriot Hellenism.
I would like to underline that honour, glory and respect are merited by the fallen Soldiers, NCOs and Officers serving in the Hellenic Force in Cyprus, fighting against the Turks during the invasion of Attila’s troops at 1974.
The best, the least tribute to their memory is to ensure that throughout all generations of Greeks and especially the younger people, the historical truth shall remain ineffaceable; that the Cypriot issue is above and before everything else a problem of invasion and occupation. It is a problem of human rights violation. So that everyone will know that it is a shame for the civilised world, it is a shame for the European construction; it is a shame for the international legal order to have within the 21st Century the line of shame and disgrace, the Attila Line separating the united and independent Republic of Cyprus in two parts, the North occupied by the Turkish invasion and occupation force, and the South free part.
It is our duty to fight for a united, sovereign, free and independent Republic of Cyprus, where the Greek-Cypriots and the Turk-Cypriots shall live in peace and unity, in any way they can and want to live, create and produce for the best, as equivalent civilians of the Republic of Cyprus and citizens of Europe”.
