In his speech on “The Cyprus Issue in the context of international and European law”, during the event organized by the Region of Greece, the former President of the Republic and Honorary Professor of the Law School of the NCSR Prokopis Pavlopoulos pointed out, among other things:

“In the last few months, and despite the continuing – or ever -increasing – provocative intolerance of Turkey, there is again the need for its need to resolve the Cyprus issue as quickly as possible. Something that, as is evident from recent statements, are accepted by the governments of Greece and Cyprus – even deciding to move in this case with the required “realism” in front of the “unknowingly” to the unhindered world of international relations – while “pushing” as much as they have “pushed” as much as European relations. condemn, unfortunately without the required rigor and even without a trace of effective sanctions, the whole Turkish stance after 1974.

A. This tactic of the governments of Greece and Cyprus must be evaluated as in principle, since the “non -solution” of the Cyprus issue not only does not constitute its “solution”, but makes it more and more precarious – and for example – the situation created by its over fifty years by its fifty -year -old occupation of the Witness Cyprus in 1974. However, and as it is understandable, the achievement of the solution of the Cyprus issue is conceivable and acceptable only if it is fair and viable. Which is further means that this solution is conceivable and acceptable only if it serves, at least in its relatively basic regulatory elements, “dignified”-and not by appearance, under the state of unacceptable compromises or even blackmail from specific aspects-its international legality and European legality and ” Complete Member State of the European Union and its “hard core”, the eurozone. Because the opposite leads, unobtrusively, to dangerous paths to even more painful institutional and political weakening of the Republic of Cyprus, both in the context of the international community and within the European Union. This issue requires as much as “more involved” preparation, with similar attention and foresight, as Turkey has made – with more boldness that, unfortunately, is reinforced by the prestigious sad international, even European in some cases, tolerance to it – it is not a ‘clear’. and European law, as will be explained below, a model of the federal state. And he speaks, directly, about two states, or at most for a type of confederal state on the basis of an extremely loose confederation, which does not even respond to the facts of a true bi-zonal-legal and state entity.

B. In this spirit, it is obvious that it cannot – more not permissible – begin any debate on the Cyprus issue, if Turkey does not previously leave such irrational and provocatively maximalist positions and proposals, fully opposed to international law. If, on the Greek and Cypriot side, the mistake of underestimating the risk of starting a dialogue on the Cyprus issue without a substantial recession of Turkey from its above extreme positions, then the “dialogue” with the Turkish side leads to the risk of being at risk, International law and European law in terms of the future of the Republic of Cyprus. In addition, let’s not forget that this is always the “beloved” tactic of Turkey when it attempts to promote even its most unimaginable “claims” to Hellenism in general, based on an obvious international boldness in the consolidation of the “perpetrators” if it is found. And therefore we must keep in mind that in our relationships with Turkey, even when it shows us “good intentions”, “Timeo Danaos et Dona Ferentes” applies. The same is not true- or must apply- obviously to the international community and the UN and the European Union, given that they have experienced and suffered, in a series of cases in the distant and recent past, Turkey’s Italian stance on the application of international law and European law.

Read the full speech of Mr. Pavlopoulos here