The Minister of National Defence Mr. Panos Panagiotopoulos met with the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Cyprus Mr. Dimitris Eliadis, who pays an official visit to our country, following an invitation to visit Greece extended by Mr. Panagiotopoulos, so as to respond to the visit made by the Greek Defence Minister to Cyprus last August.
During their meeting, the two men discussed issues pertaining to defence and military cooperation between Greece and Cyprus, as well as matters of coordination of the two Ministries, but also matters of mutual interest for the two countries, concerning the developments in the broader region of South-eastern Mediterranean.
After the completion of their meeting, Mr. Panagiotopoulos and Mr. Eliadis made the following statements:
P. PANAGIOTOPOULOS: I would like to welcome a distinguished friend, the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Cyprus, whom I had the honour of receiving here at the General Staff as official guest, Mister Dimitris Eliadis.
Mister Eliadis, with his -unfortunately- short visit to Athens responds to my visit which took place at the end of last year’σ summer at the Republic of Cyprus.
We have made clear the fact that the fates and the destiny of Hellenism, Greek and Cypriot, are unified. This is why Greece has been, still is and will carry on being, even more intensively and attentively, the supreme agent guaranteeing territorial integrity, independence, sovereignty and freedom of Cypriot Hellenism.
Of course, we do not forget that the Cypriot issue remains an issue of invasion and occupation by the Turkish troops of Attila. We do not forget that the Cypriot issue was and remains, unfortunately, a problem of cruel human rights’ violation.
We underline, addressing everyone, the international community, all international legal order and its vehicles, and mostly the European Union, that this line of shame separating the north occupied part from the south free part of the Republic of Cyprus is an image and a line of shame for the modern world, but also for the entire European Union.
At the discussions we had, we touched all matters of mutual interest. I would like to say that we feel we are all working together for defence issues of Greek and Cypriot Hellenism. We have specialised in numerous sectors and we have established procedures that will promote mutual interests and concerns.
We had the chance to make a broader retrospection of the developments in South-eastern Mediterranean and the broader geostrategic and geopolitical zone where Greece and Cyprus belong.
I also had the chance and honour to be briefed by Mr. Eliadis, my Cypriot friend and colleague, for the further choices the republic of Cyprus is offered regarding the issue of carbohydrates and the matter of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
I would like to thank him once more for the cooperation and friendship he is offering me so generously, and to tell him that I reciprocate it completely; here at the Ministry of National Defence of the Hellenic republic he can feel at home.
D. ELIADIS: Once again, thank you. Here at the Ministry of National Defence I do feel at home. I would like to thank Panos Panagiotopoulos for the brotherly hospitality, for all his attempts made for the defence of the Republic of Cyprus.
Cyprus is facing a problem of invasion and occupation by Turkey. In this struggle to claim the rights of the entire Cypriot people, Greece always remains the stable, permanent and selfless supporter for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus.
Greece’s support is the most valuable dynamic in the effort for the survival of Cypriot Hellenism and the Republic of Cyprus.
During our discussions we retraced our overall cooperation which is excellent, productive and fruitful, and it covers the full spectrum of defence and security issues among Cyprus and Greece, examining the current situation in our region.
Our cooperation aims at peace, stability and regularity in the region and, as such, it promotes the presence of both Greece and Cyprus in the area of South-eastern Mediterranean.
The absurdity of the occupation, Cyprus’ division by the occupation troops is a discord that cannot go on, just like Turkey cannot have European perspective while still illegally occupying the North part of the Republic of Cyprus. Occupation and European perspective do not go well together.
