Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides delivered a forceful speech at the 80th United Nations General Assembly, directly challenging Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and accusing him of “selective sensitivity and hypocrisy at its peak.”
Christodoulides reminded delegates that just one day earlier, Erdogan had stood at the same podium calling for peace and responsibility, while Turkey continues to occupy northern Cyprus and violate international law. “Mr Erdogan accuses others of crimes that Turkey itself commits every day,” he declared, referring to the 1974 invasion and its aftermath.
Speaking with deep personal emotion, the President recalled his own childhood memories of the invasion, evoking the plight of displaced families, the anguish of relatives of missing persons, and the systematic settlement policy aimed, he said, at altering Cyprus’s demographic character.
He reaffirmed Nicosia’s readiness to resume negotiations for a comprehensive and just settlement, within the framework of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation as set out in UN Security Council resolutions. “Leaders are judged not by their words but by their actions,” he stressed, making clear that Ankara’s international rhetoric does not match its on-the-ground conduct.
Christodoulides also highlighted Cyprus’s role as a stabilising force in the Eastern Mediterranean. He presented the “Amalthea” maritime corridor for humanitarian aid to Gaza, and referred to the joint initiative with Jordan for the establishment of a European firefighting hub in the region.
Concluding his address, Christodoulides pledged that Cyprus will continue to defend international law and human rights. He urged Erdogan “to end the occupation and choose the path of responsibility and truth.”
