Christodoulides: We can never accept our country is divided

We can never accept that our country remains divided, President Nikos Christodoulides said on Sunday, adding that from the moment he took power a major diplomatic effort was launched to find a solution to the Cyprus problem.

“We will not accept the faits accompli of the Turkish invasion,” he said underlining that the aim is to resume talks as soon as possible.

He said he would “fight with all his strength” to achieve a solution on the basis of the relevant UN resolutions and the principles and values of the European Union.

He said a specific plan is in place to ensure that the people of Cyprus do not remain second-class EU citizens.

The coming period, he said, is important and will see him travel to New York at the end of next week for the United Nations General Assembly followed by the European Council in Brussels in October, which “will be decisive and crucial for our effort”.

To break the impasse, which would lead to the resumption of talks a strong united internal front is an absolute prerequisite, he added.

Christodoulides was speaking at a ceremony at the church in Tsada t unveil the busts of three local heroes, Vladimiros Heracleous, Andreas Christodoulou and Herodotos Savva.