The Greek Prime Minister, in his speech at the New Democracy conference, opened a “parenthesis – as he himself put it – to refer to Cyprus.
A reference of 116 words in a long speech. And the reference was made because the President of the Republic of Cyprus was present. This, too, is evident from the text of Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ speech:
“Here, allow me to open a parenthesis regarding the southeastern Mediterranean. My dear friend Nikos Christodoulides, you should always know that Greece stands by the side of the Cypriot people for a just and viable solution to the Cyprus problem, the Cypriot tragedy. This tragedy must end, it has to end. Fifty years. Because, let us not forget, there is another anniversary, a ‘black’ anniversary, in 2024. This is the 50th anniversary of the Turkish invasion and occupation of Cyprus. And let everyone know one more thing: the stronger Greece is in Europe, the stronger Hellenism is in Europe, the stronger Cyprus is in Europe because Greece and Cyprus are one…”
His references were general, without specific positions on what a “strong Hellenism in Europe” means, or what “Greece and Cyprus are one” entails.
In practice, and not in an out-of-context paragraph formulated by the speechwriters who were aware of the fact that the Cypriot President had been invited to the conference and had addressed it.
The Mitsotakis government does not have any particular achievements to present regarding Cyprus and the Cyprus issue. It wants to maintain a distance, treating the national issue as a headache and avoiding it when possible. There are numerous examples that have been mentioned in the past.
- The handling of the position of the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) how Cyprus did not pursue it, and why Greece voted for the Turkish candidate.
- The fact that Cyprus is referred to by coordinates in NATO at the demand of the occupying Turkey.
- The bypassing of the Cyprus issue in the effort for Greek-Turkish rapprochement. Such an approach could improve the situation regarding Cyprus, if and only if it is included in the framework and not left out. It is noted that in his two speeches, the opening and the closing of the conference, there was a lack of substantial references to the occupying Turkey. In the opening speech, there was an indirect reference to ‘threats from our neighbours in the Aegean’, without naming them. And the other reference was about the Turkish invasion of Cyprus and the completion of 50 years since then.
- The apathy towards ‘Amalthea’.
- Athens’ moves in the field of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to recognise Kosovo. Moves that will obviously affect Cyprus as it may be considered a precedent.
The New Democracy conference was also linked to the 50th anniversary of the Metapolitefsi (the transition to democracy after the military junta) and the founding of the conservative party.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis was six years old in 1974 and does not carry any baggage regarding what happened back then. As is well known, the Metapolitefsi, which began with the collapse of the dictatorship, did not happen because “the time was ripe”, but because of the tragedy in Cyprus. Half a century later, he could have referred to the events as Prime Minister and conducted an ‘introspection’ of the Greek state.
And, without carrying the baggage of the past, he could have proceeded with policies that would overturn the occupation status quo and restore the unity of the Republic of Cyprus. Because the current course only deals with managing the consequences of the invasion and ongoing occupation.
Cyprus has one constant and reliable ally, and that is Greece, as everyone acknowledges. Cyprus needs Greece, just as Greece needs Cyprus.
However, this support should be complete and not half-hearted.
