Statement by Frank C. Urbancic, Jr.
United States Ambassador to the Republic of Cyprus,
on the Occasion of his Presentation of Credentials
to His Excellency Demetris Christofias,
President of the Republic of Cyprus

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Mr. President,

It is a great honor to have been chosen by President Bush to represent the United States of America in Cyprus. I bring warm greetings to all Cypriots from the people of the United States, and particularly from President Bush and the First Lady. The United States has always placed great value on our friendly relations with Cyprus and its people. It is in that warm spirit of friendship that I dedicate myself to the important work that lies ahead.

I would like to reaffirm that achieving a just and durable resolution of the Cyprus problem remains one of President Bush and Secretary Rice's foreign policy priorities. We fully support your decision to pursue full-fledged negotiations under U.N. auspices in order to reach a Cyprus settlement that establishes a stable, bizonal, bicommunal federation. That is a task for the people of Cyprus themselves to accomplish, but the United States will do all it can to support the conditions in which a settlement can be reached. To this end, we will continue to support bicommunal programs that increase mutual understanding between the two communities and address real problems that affect the daily lives of all Cypriots.

Mr. President, your beautiful country has a rich heritage and a talented citizenry.

The United States values our excellent bilateral relationship. Our nations share common interests on a wide range of issues. We have common values and a shared commitment to building a world based on democratic principles and the rule of law. Cyprus is a valued partner in the fight against the global threats of terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, money laundering, illegal narcotics, and human trafficking. During my time in Cyprus, I will work closely with you to deepen these cooperative efforts.

I look forward to working with our public and private sectors to expand our trade and investment ties which will generate good jobs for Americans and Cypriots alike. Our two countries are drawn even closer by the thousands of Cypriot- Americans who live in the U.S. and over 2,000 Cypriots who currently attend U.S. colleges and universities. I promise to cultivate these shared educational, cultural, economic, and social links and to help harness them in building a better future for the citizens of both our countries.

Mr. President, as I undertake my responsibilities as Ambassador, I pledge that my colleagues in the embassy and I will do all we can to strengthen our cooperation with your government and with all Cypriots. It is with a clear sense of mission and anticipation of the great achievements we can accomplish together that I present my credentials to you today.

Thank you, Mr. President.