Speech by the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Nikos Christodoulides, at the Memorial Lecture in honour of the late Nikos Mouyiaris, hosted by the Elytis Chair, Rutgers University

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Presidency of the Republic

22/09/25 09:35 | Press release | President of the Republic / Presidency

It is a great pleasure to be with all of you tonight.

Given my personal experience among the United States (US) diaspora, but also due to the fact that I have family here in New Jersey, it is a thrill to be with so many old and new friends tonight.

At the same time, it is a particular honour to be the speaker of the annual Nikos Mouyiaris Memorial Lecture. Nikos was a close friend, a mentor, and a shining paradigm that made all Cypriots and Hellenes worldwide proud.

So, I am particularly pleased that we are convened here for Nikos under the auspices of the Elytis Chair of Rutgers University. All who knew Nikos are well aware of his love of Greek poetry and in particular of the works of Elytis. In fact, the title of Elytis’s most famous work best reflects the life and legacy of Nikos: “Axion Esti”.

And it is also a great honour and privilege to be here tonight because, as much as Nikos loved Hellenic philology and history and culture, he loved one thing more: his homeland of Cyprus. Nikos was a long-time member and supporter of the International Coordinating Committee Justice for Cyprus (PSEKA). The “A” in PSEKA stands for “Agona” (struggle) and the “Agona” is only made possible by “Agonistes” (fighters); Nikos was an agonistis (fighter) in every sense of the word.

Dear friends,

For too long, the title of Christopher Hitchens’s book on Cyprus “Hostage to History” seemed to define the fate of my country, of Nikos’s homeland. Here in the United States, around the world, and sometimes even within our own diaspora Cyprus was defined as a “problem”. The Cyprus problem following the 1974 illegal Turkish invasion of Cyprus.

Of course, we cannot accept any trivialisation of the continued occupation and violent division of Cyprus and our “agona” to reunify our island with a lasting and viable solution. Generations have struggled for this dream. Nikos fought for this dream. Philip, Tasos, and others here have led the “agona” here in the US. And of course, the struggle to reunify Cyprus will continue.

Viewing Cyprus only through the prism of the “problem” has had negative effects – even when it comes to our efforts, and the reunification process. For too long, there were officials in the US government who treated and interacted with the Republic of Cyprus only under the premise of the Cyprus problem rather than with a partner, and I might add, a potential strategic partner in the very important region of the greater Middle East.

These attitudes and those who perpetuated them were really what was keeping Cyprus a “hostage” – whether to history, to geography, or to politics. Few years ago, we decided not to be held hostage anymore. We would of course, and I want to make this clear, continue the struggle to liberate and reunify Cyprus, as the solution of the Cyprus Problem is our number one priority, but we will not allow our country – and thus our future – to be constantly treated as a “problem”.

As Diplomatic Advisor and Government Spokesman, as Foreign Minister, and especially now as President, I have insisted publicly and with all my interlocutors that Cyprus is more of a “solution” than it is a problem. Cyprus is both a physical and cultural bridge between continents, a driver of regional cooperation, and a contributor to stability in a region of great geopolitical importance. In an era marked by war, terrorism, and instability, Cyprus offers unique opportunities to foster peace, cooperation, and economic integration.

Cyprus will no longer be a hostage to history or a hostage of geography. On the contrary. Our geography is an advantage and is being utilised as such in planning and exercising our Foreign Policy. At the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa, Cyprus brings regions, countries, and faiths together in the name of collaboration rather than conflict. Cyprus is not destined to be a civilisational fault line. We are a European Union (EU) member since 2004, grouped with Asia Pacific states in the United Nations (UN), part of the Commonwealth country, and a state with long-standing diplomatic and cultural ties with countries of our region.

Being the closest EU member state to the region, neighbouring with Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Turkey, and with the Gulf countries further to the East, Cyprus has made a clear strategic choice: to serve as a gateway linking the region with the EU and the US.

Of course, Cyprus is more than just a passage point. For a gateway to remain open and effective, it must rest on solid ground. This is why Cyprus has also chosen to be an anchor of stability and security. Two roles that are inseparable. Our value as a gateway derives from the confidence and trust that partners – and I would stress here, most importantly, the United States – place in us as a stable, reliable, predictable, and secure partner. By leveraging our geographic location, our bilateral, trilateral, and multilateral partnerships, and our shared vision with allies – including the US – Cyprus ensures that the bridges we build are safe to cross and durable over time.

Let me be clear: this is not theoretical. It takes shape through concrete, paradigm-shifting initiatives that highlight Cyprus’ role as a hub of stability and cooperation in a very challenging region.

The Amalthea Initiative – which complements efforts to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza, the establishment of CYCLOPS, a training centre in Cyprus, by the US Department of State in collaboration with the Republic of Cyprus, and Cyprus’s role as a safe evacuation point for third-country nationals during regional crises, and of course our capacity to host forces of allies and partners in order to counter security threats, are only few examples of how our country delivers practical solutions with international impact.

As we prepare to assume the Presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2026, these efforts will remain at the forefront, reflecting Cyprus’ ability to contribute meaningfully to peace, security, and prosperity in our wider region, while serving as a bridge between Europe and the Middle East and the Gulf region.

The world is changing, and Cyprus has been – and will continue to be – at the forefront of that change in order to promote stability and cooperation.

In the Eastern Mediterranean region, in our neighbourhood, much of the positive change and collaboration started from the discovery of natural gas in the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) of Cyprus, Israel, and Egypt. These developments have recast Cyprus’s role in regional energy politics.

These discoveries were the trigger point that have brought regional actors together, and they have resulted in new institutions, and to economic diversification and have brought global economic giants like Exxon, TOTAL, Chevron, and ENI to Cyprus EEZ. Energy discoveries literally fuelled Washington’s change of perception of Cyprus. It was the first time we were considered a solution – a solution to energy reliance on adversarial regimes, a solution to energy scarcity that led to unrest in the Middle East. Energy discoveries made it also possible for the US and Cyprus to truly delve in so many other areas that had the potential for an expanded strategic bilateral cooperation.

At the same time, the physical and institutional connections that have been established through this energy diplomacy have also positioned Cyprus to be a key connector in the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). A Corridor that has unprecedented economic and political potential.

The foundations for the connectivity that IMEC can establish have already been poured by us and others in the greater Middle East. These structures can be used as the base off of which a robust IMEC can be built. The US Government and the US Congress recognise this, and that is why they introduced and advanced the Eastern Mediterranean Gateway Act.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Over the past several years we have been able to celebrate significant milestones in the relationship between Washington and Nicosia. This progress was made possible thanks to strong Congressional interest in the US-Cyprus bilateral relationship and encouragement by administration officials to move it forward. I recall briefing Congressional staffers as Diplomatic Advisor to the President, around ten years ago, when the new Congressional Hellenic Israeli Alliance caucus was formed, and then watch their members send letters to the President and Secretary of State, introduce legislation and visit Cyprus. Five years of such action led to the Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act, which institutionalised the shift in policy that was already underway and created a solid foundation for even better and more prosperous relations between the US and Cyprus.

Building on this foundation, we have already reached new milestones in Cyprus-US relations. Last October, we launched the Cyprus-US Strategic Dialogue in Lefkosia, setting a clear roadmap that our Foreign Ministries are now advancing. A few days later, I was received at the White House – the first official visit by a Cypriot President in nearly 30 years. Then in January, the US advanced our defence collaboration with a Presidential Determination enabling Cyprus to participate in three security assistance programs – making it much easier for Cyprus to buy arms form the US – a major leap for our defence cooperation.

Beyond defence, in April I returned to the US to strengthen economic ties and to highlight that Cyprus is open for business, innovation, and investments. We have since welcomed American businesses to Cyprus – this is to add to the presence of American companies already in Cyprus and our EEZ. In this regard, it is with great satisfaction that we know that leading US companies such as Exxon, Chevron, Pimco have also taken significant steps to expand their investments in Cyprus, further deepening our economic cooperation.

And since we are gathered here in New Jersey, I want to underline the importance of the State Partnership Program launched with the New Jersey National Guard in 2023. This unique cooperation has already proven its value in crisis management and disaster response, making us more secure and resilient together.

All these examples show that we have used that foundation very effectively and we will continue doing so. The US and Cyprus easily enjoy the closest relationship they have ever had – on each and every level. But as I often like to say, I am a firm believer that, when it comes to Cyprus-US relations, the sky is the limit.

Closing, let me stress that there is no question that this close bilateral relationship and the shifts in US policy would not have occurred without our diaspora. And I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all. Cypriot Americans and Greek Americans have been a bridge between our two countries. They have connected not only political leaders and diplomats in the two countries, but business leaders, thought leaders, and the people themselves.

You have been effective interpreters – for us to understand the US better, and for American officials to understand Cyprus better. To understand that Cyprus is not just the Cyprus problem. And there is no better place to thank you all than at the annual Nikos Mouyiaris Lecture.

Nikos supported all the organisations that promoted justice for Cyprus and a better bilateral relationship between Cyprus and the US. He challenged us all to keep raising the bar. He established Hellenic American Leadership Council (HALC), in order to ensure an entirely new generation continued the “agona” and that there was constant contact with American policy makers, with think tankers, with the US media.

As we celebrate Michael Rubin or Steven Cook writing on our issues, or that the pro-Israel community advocates for Cyprus, or all the ground breaking legislation that has passed over the last few years, we have Nikos Mouyiaris to thank for it all.

In this context, and as a tribute to Nikos and to the work that all of our diaspora is doing, I take this opportunity to announce a donation of 20.000 USD to the Program of Modern Greek Studies and the Elytis Chair of Rutgers University; a very small gesture in recognition of your role in educating more “agonistes” here in the United States.

(ΡΜ/AS/KA)

Speech by the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Nikos Christodoulides, at the Memorial Lecture in honour of the late Nikos Mouyiaris, hosted by the Elytis Chair, Rutgers University

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