The President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, has expressed the wish that 2024 will mark the beginning of ending the occupation of Cyprus.

Christodoulides said in his Christmas message that during these festive days, "our thoughts are mainly with our fellow human beings who need our support, young and old, all over Cyprus, and the diaspora".

"May the joyful message of Christ's birth fill our hearts with love and humanity. And may we send the message of hope and prosperity through acts of solidarity", he added.

The President of the Republic also expressed the wish that "2024 will mark the beginning of ending the occupation of our homeland".

"I hope that we will soon see Cyprus reunited and give the next generations the opportunity to live and prosper in conditions of security and peace, in a modern state, with solid economic foundations and a people-focused approach," he said.

"That's what I'm looking forward to," he concluded, noting that he will continue to work tirelessly for it.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.