Your Excellency, Mr. President of the Republic of Cyprus,
Dear friends, ladies and gentlemen,
First of all, I would like to thank the Cultural Foundation of the Journalists' Union of Athens Daily Newspapers. I would like to thank all those present who have gathered here to honor the memory of those who fell in the line of national duty. The duty that demands, regardless of the dangers, to always be on the front line.
And that is the greatest legacy one can leave behind: a sense of duty.
I would like to refer by name, if I may, although they have already been mentioned, to Mr. Alfonso Vitalis, whom I thank for his invaluable contribution. I am referring, of course, to Yiannos Kranidiotis, Nikolaos Kranidiotis, Nina Asimakopoulou, Dimitris Pantazopoulos, Panagiotis Poulos, Michalis Papadopoulos, and Nikos Asimakopoulos. And, naturally, I would like to refer to Grigoris Papadopoulos, the honorary ambassador who, despite suffering a severe injury, returned to duty with unwavering selflessness and dedication, continuing to serve his country until the end of his life.
We often say that the loss of an individual is a tremendous national blow. At times, we exaggerate. But this is one of those cases where there is no exaggeration when speaking of Yiannos Kranidiotis. I did not have the honor of knowing him personally. Fortunately, however, his writings endure. Yiannos Kranidiotis' writings were the raw material I used when I had the responsibility and honor of leading the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. His writings highlight, in the clearest way, a duality that may often seem contradictory, but in reality, it is the synthesis and epitome of a sound foreign policy, a national foreign policy. It is the high vision and formidable goals combined with patriotic realism.
Reading Yiannos Kranidiotis, I often identified with him. I identified because, in his deep sense of duty to serve his country, to serve Greece and Cyprus, he was often characterized as compromising or conciliatory. At that time, perhaps, no one could fully understand his true vision: the vision of Greece being at the heart of the European Union and Cyprus becoming a full member of the European family.
I would like to remind you, Mr. President, that during Yiannos Kranidiotis' time it was far from assured that Cyprus's accession to the EU would be nationally beneficial. It's important to highlight this today, as we can now assess the significance of Cyprus's EU membership for Hellenism. Indeed, he was the architect of Cyprus's European roadmap. He was the architect who quickly understood what it meant for Cyprus to be a full member, standing alongside other EU member states, in a relationship of security provided by the European Union, and solidarity among the peoples of Europe. This is something we must recognize.
I believe Yiannos Kranidiotis would be immensely proud, Mr. President, if he could read the European Council’s conclusions of June 2023, which made it abundantly evident that the EU had a duty to be actively involved at every stage in any phase of the Cyprus issue resolution process.
He would be proud of all this, and he himself laid a very important cornerstone for us to reach this policy. As he had seen in time, all the issues concerning Greece's position in Europe and the world. He was a cosmopolitan, a person who saw far beyond his time. He did not consider the cost that each of his actions might have had at the time, because he consistently served the vision he had set. This is something we must respect and take as an example. Actions may have a cost, but the vision ultimately defines our policy.
The Cyprus issue is a matter that wounds us all. The division of Cyprus is truly the deep open wound not only for Hellenism, if I may say, but for the entire world. A division that resulted from the illegal Turkish invasion and the illegal, fifty-year occupation, and it is an open wound seeking its healing through a solution that we all strive for.
I would like to highlight that, through great effort - and the President knows that- through daily effort, the Greek government has made it a primary goal in its national foreign policy to bring the Cyprus issue back to the forefront of international politics, particularly to the forefront of the United Nations' priorities. Indeed, today, we find ourselves in a position to have a modest sense of optimism that we may restart the talks. These discussions, of course, can only be based on international law, the United Nations Security Council resolutions, and never ever on the division of the island. In this regard, I would like to especially commend the stance of the Republic of Cyprus and the President personally, who serves this goal consistently and constructively through the implementation of a firm and well-structured foreign policy. He aims to help rather than create obstacles, and he understands, as I believe we all do, that in this case, inaction does not always serve national interests. We must take action, and that is what we will do.
I have the impression, Your Excellency Mr. President, that the conditions are somewhat favorable. I believe that Greece's position in the world—considering our upcoming role as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the next two years—our international footprint, the improvement in Greek-Turkish relations, the active engagement and prioritization of the Cyprus issue within the United Nations framework, constitute a relatively fertile ground for us to restart the discussion. Division is never acceptable, but a solution can only come through dialogue.
Yiannos Kranidiotis was a charismatic figure, and I would particularly like to note that he served the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from every possible position. He is perhaps the only person who was completely devoted and identified with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He started as Special Secretary, then General Secretary, Deputy Minister, and Alternate Minister. He served from every position with a consistency that transcends, if you will, the mere sense of duty towards national foreign policy.
Today, I also feel that he would be proud of the excellent cooperation between Greece and Cyprus. A cooperation that is in complete harmony and has led to very positive results for our stance. Together, we take initiatives, and we are in constant communication, so that we can promote our national positions in a way that allows us to combine our efforts for the most beneficial outcome possible.
If I may, I would like to conclude with a quote from Yiannos Kranidiotis, with which I deeply identified, I must confess, because I also hear it often:
“In the post-Cold War era, as Yiannos Kranidiotis wrote, traditional codes of relations and balances have been overturned, and the simple participation of states in an alliance is no longer enough to protect and maximize our fundamental national interests. Bipolarity has been replaced by a complex and unstable multipolar system. New threats as well as new opportunities and possibilities are emerging. National strategy is not implemented through theoretical exercises but through careful steps and methodical actions. Diplomacy is practiced through a network of actions judged by the overall outcome. One cannot isolate a single part from the whole. It is impossible to separate every action, whether tactical or not, from the context in which it is part of, and this action to be judged as concessionary or evaluated with emotional criteria. This suspicion involves a demonizing approach; it is inherently defeatist. It does not help the national cause. We know our national rights very well, and we assert them firmly. We have nothing to fear when conversing with anyone, friend or adversary. We have confidence in our strength, our abilities, and the clarity of our arguments”.
His memory will remain eternal.
September 18, 2024