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Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides addressed a special session of the Hellenic Parliament on Thursday, becoming the first Cypriot head of state to speak before Greece’s parliament in 16 years during a period of growing regional instability and renewed discussion around the Cyprus problem.
The speech carried both symbolism and urgency.
Standing before Greek lawmakers in Athens, Christodoulides spoke about the long-standing division of Cyprus, saying he hopes reunification talks with Turkish Cypriots can resume after years of diplomatic deadlock.
For many Cypriots, the issue remains deeply personal more than half a century after the island was divided in 1974 following a Turkish invasion triggered by a coup backed by Greece’s then-military junta.
Although negotiations have repeatedly collapsed over the years, Christodoulides recently said he believes the United Nations may launch a renewed effort to restart talks before Secretary-General Antonio Guterres leaves office at the end of the year.
The president also used the moment to publicly thank Greece for its support during recent regional tensions linked to the fallout from US and Israeli strikes on Iran, including the dispatch of military assets to Cyprus.
The comments come as the Eastern Mediterranean remains on edge amid wider instability in the Middle East, with Cyprus increasingly positioning itself as both a regional diplomatic bridge and a strategic hub for evacuations and humanitarian coordination.
The address was seen as another reminder of the close political and historical ties between Cyprus and Greece, particularly at a time when security concerns and energy developments in the region are once again pushing the Eastern Mediterranean into the international spotlight.
For many watching back home, however, the speech also revived a familiar question that has followed generations of Cypriots:
Whether the island will finally see another serious attempt at reunification or simply another round of talks that goes nowhere.
