My vision is to hand over a reunified Cyprus in 2023 - Anastasiades

Greek Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades has reiterated his desire to hand over a reunified country to his successor come 2023 when his current and second tenure expires.  

Anastasiades made the remarks on Saturday when addressing the 16^th Pancyprian Democratic Rally Congress, in Nicosia.

This is my last term in office, he said, stressing that “my vision is when I hand over in 2023 to hand over a reunified homeland.

A modern homeland, he said, a homeland which we are all proud of and which is the outcome of everyone’s joint cooperation.

He acknowledged that since the government does not have a majority in parliament any vision, it has for the future needs to be shared and discussed constructively with other parliamentary parties.

If you don’t reach a compromise, you will not achieve the best possible results, which is what our people seek and call for and what all political forces seek.

Referring to the presence in the Congress of leaders and representatives of parliamentary parties and of Turkish Cypriots he said that it demonstrates that in Cyprus there is respect and a political culture cultivated which creates the prospects for co-creation.

What is necessary is, finally, is through mutual respect, the respect of EU principles and values, the United Nations Charter, cooperating together, to reach a solution which will restore the unity, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Cyprus and will give everyone an opportunity, he said.

He  noted that it is necessary to create those prospects which will allow us to regard the future with optimism but also to have a state which will have stability and will offer peace and prospects to its citizens.

Source: CNA