“We need measures to restore confidence”
President Nicos Anastasiades has stressed the need to implement measures that will restore confidence, and not measures that increase mistrust among the citizens of the island.
Addressing the “Stelios Bi-communal Business Awards 2014” in Nicosia, he said that “unfortunately, the recent actions by Turkey serve neither the purpose of building confidence and trust, nor of establishing a constructive environment that can facilitate the negotiating process. On the contrary: they foster mistrust and raise serious doubts within the Greek Cypriot community as regards Turkey’s true intentions”.
He stressed that “Cyprus’ natural resource wealth belongs to the state, and, consequently, it is through the solution of the Cyprus problem that all of the legal citizens of the island will be able to benefit from the generated revenues that will arise from the exploitation of our natural resource wealth”.
The status quo in Cyprus, he said, is unacceptable and all should demonstrate the same resolve and commitment to negotiate in good faith.
“I assure my Turkish Cypriot compatriots that I remain committed and I will work tirelessly and do my utmost to reach a settlement on the Cyprus problem. And this is the exact reason that throughout my term I have consciously avoided negative public comments related to the negotiating process, with the aim of creating a positive atmosphere to ensure that the talks succeed,” he said.
Referring to the bicommunal business awards, he praised the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation that since 2009 has donated 1.2 mln euros to business projects that have demonstrated real commitment to the development of bicommunal collaboration, in a diverse range of sectors.
He praised the tireless efforts of the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce (KEVE) and the Turkish Cypriot Chamber (KTTO), as well as the business chambers of Greece and Turkey, which have created the “Nicosia Financial Forum”, with the aim of holding frequent meetings so as to help create a positive climate, implement confidence-building measures, and pave the way for further economic and business cooperation.
The winners are: Niyazi Kizilyurek and Michalis Theodorou (publishing books in 3 languages); Constantinos Constantinou and Hakki Emir (restoring cemeteries); Ozgu Ozun and Ioannis Droussiotis (pilot training, flight school); Kyriacos Savvides and Tolay Celebi (beach safes to store valuables); Pieris Hadjipieris and Yakup Engin TEL (restoration of Apostolos Andreas monastery); George Kepolas and Neshe Yasin (book published, “Nicosia”); Gozde Pehlivan and Melanie Pappas-Lemona (children’s training - pre-teens); Nikos Pissourios and Ercim Ulug (kite surfing, moving to a different beach depending which way the wind blows!); Ioannis Papadikos and Tosun Altinel (fishing and trading in fish); Kostakis Konstantinou and Kufi Tulga (fishing - trading in fish).