President Christodoulides' bold vision for resolving the Cyprus issue

We are working with a specific plan so that we can make it possible to break the deadlock and through the solution of the Cyprus problem to reach a mutually beneficial state of affairs for all parties involved, President Nikos Christodoulides said on Monday afternoon.

President Christodoulides was addressing the unveiling ceremony of the Memorial of the Fallen and Missing of Zodia village at the Zodia building at Strovolos, in the presence, among others, of the Minister of Justice and Public Order, Anna Koukkides-Procopiou, state and party officials.

He pointed out that the current unacceptable state of affairs cannot be the solution to the Cyprus problem, adding that "as we can see from the developments in our neighborhood, there are no frozen crises".

The President said that the passage of time is creating new faits accomplis and these unfortunately, further distancing the prospect of a solution that can be accepted by the Cypriot people.

"And it is because of this reasoning that we are working with a specific plan so that we can make it possible to break the deadlock and through the solution of the Cyprus problem reach a mutually beneficial state of affairs for all parties involved," he said.

He added that despite all the problems, difficulties and disappointments, "we continue our efforts to achieve our goal", saying that "for us, there is no other option than freedom, reunification, a solution on the basis of the agreed framework, the principles and values of the European Union".

Speaking about the missing persons, President Christodoulides said he wishes he could bring them back adding that what the Republic of Cyprus has been doing over the years since it dared to open this tragic story in 1999 is "everything possible by strengthening the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus (CMP) precisely so that the relatives know the fate of their missing persons."

He referred by name to the fallen and the missing of Zodia village from October 1931 (“Octobriana”) to the Turkish invasion of 1974, noting that the blood tax paid by Zodia is heavy, while the list of heroes and the missing that the community generously offered on the altar of freedom is long and glorious.

The unveiling of the monument, which was created by George Moses, in honor of the heroes and missing persons of Zodia, was performed by the President of the Republic and the President of the Community of Kato Zodia, Christakis Kattirtzis.

In his address, Kattirtzis said, among other things, that the monument honors those who have sacrificed over time for the freedom of Cyprus and will be here "to remind us all of our debt".

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.