Anastasiades welcomes Mitsotakis’ historic speech to congress

Greek Prime Minister Kyriacos Mitsotakis made particular reference to the Cyprus issue in an “historic” address to US Congress on Tuesday, which was met positively by President Nicos Anastasiades.

Mitsotakis was the first Greek prime minister to address US Congress, and spoke before members of the Senate, the House of Representatives, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Vice President Kamala Harris.

During his speech, which covered US-Greek relations and the situation in Ukraine, the Greek PM also mentioned the Cyprus issue, calling it “an open wound that has been causing pain to Hellenism for 48 years”.

Mitsotakis reiterated calls for US support for a solution in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions, stressing that “a two-state solution cannot be accepted”. This echoed his statements made the previous day in a meeting with President Joe Biden, whom he called on to use his influence in any subsequent negotiations.

On Tuesday evening, Anastasiades praised the Greek PM for his “historic” speech, which he said highlighted the role of Greece and Cyprus in security and cooperation in [the Eastern Mediterranean] region”.

Ιστορική η ομιλία του @PrimeministerGR στο Αμερικανικό Κογκρέσο. Ανέδειξε τον ρόλο Ελλάδας αλλά και Κύπρου για ασφάλεια και συνεργασία στην περιοχή μας. Καθοριστική για τον αγώνα της χώρας μας η ισχυρή θέση αρχών για το Κυπριακό.

— Nicos Anastasiades (@AnastasiadesCY) May 17, 2022

He also said that strong positions of principle are “deciding factors in our country’s struggle”.