With the President of the Republic of Cyprus Mr. Dimitris Christofias, the Minister of National Defence Mr. Panos Panagiotopoulos held a meeting today at the Presidential Palace of the Republic of Cyprus, during the first day of his official visit in Cyprus.

Mr. Christofias and Mr. Panagiotopoulos discussed on matters belonging to the full spectrum of Hellenic-Cypriot issues.

Following their meeting on his exit of the Presidential Palace of the Republic of Cyprus, the Minister of National Defence Mr. Panagiotopoulos made the following statement:

“With my meeting with the President of the Republic of Cyprus Dimitris Christofias and my cooperation with the Minister of Defence of Cyprus and dear friend, which will follow, as well as with my meetings with the entire political leadership of the Republic of Cyprus and with the Archbishop, I begin a series of visit abroad as Minister of Defence.

As it is customary, not for typical but for essential reasons, for reasons touching our heart and soul, I begin my visits with Cyprus. I am here as Minister of Defence of the Hellenic Republic, in order to send a message to all directions: whichever problems Greece may have, whichever are the fiscal or financial difficulties, we are determined to stand by Cypriot Hellenism and to preserve Greece to the role of that force which ensures independence, sovereignty and freedom for the Republic of Cyprus and Cypriot Hellenism.

As far as the financial difficulties are concerned, since both Hellenic and Cypriot peoples converge at this issue, all together united we are certain that we can make it once more. Hellenism, during its long course through the centuries, survived the Scylla and Charybdis of history; it was threatened passing through the hammer and the anvil yet it survived. This time we will also manage to prove that all Greeks, Hellenism across the world, can stand on its feet and overcome the difficulties”.