CYPnaval 2015 Conference e-Booklet enhancing the protection of Blue Economy | Page 11

Another important element that may hinder the development of the Blue Economy of the
Mediterranean Sea is the illegal Immigration. The fight against illegal migration should be a priority for
the European Union and a fundamental part of its comprehensive migration policy. EU action on illegal
migration should cover all aspects of the phenomenon. This includes prevention through cooperation
with countries of origin and transit, fighting against human trafficking, border surveillance and the
establishment of a humane return policy. The Council of the EU is now in order to launch a new
operation in order to mitigate this newly emerged thread.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to underline that the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East is
a region of tremendous potential, yet this potential will only be realized in an environment of
sustainable peace, development, security and cooperation. I would like to reiterate my country's will to
take advantage of its strategic geographical location as well as the traditional close relations with the
countries of our region and the EU in order to contribute effectively to the enhancement of the
protection of the Blue Economy in the Mediterranean Sea.
I will conclude by thanking you for your participation today and all our distinguished speakers and
guests to Cyprus. Cyprus, may be a small and relatively new Member State of European Union,
however, we do believe that we can also play a positive role in Europe and the Mediterranean Sea.
Therefore, we are very pleased to be able to host this event here in Larnaca and we hope that this
seminar will act as a catalyst for further cooperative actions.
I am confident that the present conference will achieve its significant objectives and will present us a
wealth of tools to address today's challenges. Our expectation is that the conclusions of the conference
will be of great usefulness to the Government of Cyprus and in any case will be taken into consideration
in the elaboration and formalization of the Government's policy.
Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Hosts,
Thanking you all for your attention, I wish you every success in today’s conference and a memorable
stay in Cyprus, especially at the environment of this nice coastal region of Larnaca, at East
Mediterranean, where every morning the sun rays, hit and illuminate first the European Union’s
territory.

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