The official visit paid by the Minister of National Defence Mr. Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos to Cyprus, representing the President of the Hellenic Government, has been concluded. The commemorative events were held in honour of the Officers and Soldiers who lost their lives during the 1974 Turkish invasion.

Mr. Panagiotopoulos attended the Memorial Service held at the Makedonitissa Tomb along with the President of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Anastasiadis, and then he went to the Apostolos Varnavas Cathedral where another Memorial Service was held in honour of the Fallen Heroes.

The event was also attended by MP of the B2 Western Sector of Attica Mr. Giannis Loverdos, representing the President of the Hellenic Parliament and HNDGS Chief General Konstantinos Floros.

In his statement the Minister highlighted the following:

“Today I am in Cyprus, representing the Hellenic Government, to pay tribute, with a deep sense of respect and national sentimentality, to the heroes who sacrificed their lives to defend Cyprus during the 1974 Turkish Invasion.

As you realize my presence here with the Head of the Military Leadership of the Hellenic Armed Forces, HNDGS Chief General Konstantinos Floros, is extremely symbolic and demonstrates our will to stand by the island of Cyprus.

Today Greece bows the knee in memory of all those children of Hellenism who fought with fearlessness, heroism and self-sacrifice for the ultimate ideal of freedom.

We honor our dead, our missing people and the fighters who resisted with selflessness against the intruder, and suffered the brutality and the atrocities of Attila to maintain the freedom of Cyprus.

Greece was, is and will always be by the side of Cyprus, in its just fight, aiming to terminate the illegal Turkish occupation and its consequences, i.e. the uprooting of thousands of people from their place of birth and the usurpation of the properties of the Greeks of Cyprus.

Our joint objective is to find a just, sustainable and acceptable solution to the issue of Cyprus, without deviating from the International and European principles and values with full sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.

Greece maintains an unwavering stance and has constructed a National Defence and Security Strategy, focusing on International legality and International Law based upon mutual respect and the unhindered exercise of sovereign rights.

As Minister of National Defence I would like to reassure you that we will further deepen our bilateral defence cooperation with a view to further enhance the brotherly and strategic relations between Greece and Cyprus.

We also aim to develop wider multi-lateral regional cooperations, as security and stability factors. And at this point I would like to point out that toward these National objectives, the cooperation with my counterpart, the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Cyprus, my friend Charalambos Petridis, is exceptional.

Concluding, I would like to express the pride we all feel for the presence of the Hellenic Contingent in Cyprus which demonstrates in the most apparent manner our coalition against any kind of threat for the sake of defending our national rights.

Thank you”.