The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus H.E. Ambassador Alexandros N. Zenon.
By Roy Lie A Tjam.
His Excellency Ambassador Alexandros Zenon is a veteran of Cypriot diplomacy who he has been active in the diplomatic world since 1979. He is married with one daughter (24) who is a lawyer. She had her formative years in the Netherlands and, according to her father, has retained some pleasant Dutch characteristics, including the famous punctuality and organization.
Ambassador Zenon studied Law at the National University of Athens and holds a post-graduate DEA degree from Paris IV-Sorbonne University in History, International Relations and Defence. He was also awarded a diploma in European Studies from the International Institute of Public Administration in Paris, and completed the Harvard University course on negotiating processes. He is fluent in Greek, English, French and Italian.
Ambassador Zenon joined the Foreign Service early in his career and has served in the diplomatic missions of Cyprus in Rome (1982-1989), Vienna-CSCE (1989) and Paris (1991-1996), as well as in various positions and departments of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nicosia, including in the Foreign Minister’s private office. He was also a Member of the Board of Governors of the Commonwealth Secretariat.
He later became Cyprus’s first resident Ambassador to the Netherlands in 1996. Until that time the Cyprus Ambassador accredited to the Netherlands was based in Brussels.
“It’s good to be back in The Hague twenty years after the establishment of the embassy,” remarked His Excellency. Like the novel Twenty years after by Alexander Dumas (père), the Netherlands has a special place in AZ’s heart. He speaks fondly of the then Queen Beatrix, having been impressed by her warmth, broad interests and intelligence. Ambassador Zenon recalls well the day he presented his credentials to HM Queen Beatrix, a remarkable piece of Dutch diplomatic tradition.
He has served as the Cypriot envoy to a number of European countries, and is currently Cyprus’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Permanent Secretary.
Cyprus has always been an important country, strategically located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa. Many world powers have tried their hand at dominating the island, including the crusaders. Britain was the last foreign power to control Cypriot shores.
Cyprus adheres to a high standard of justice, and it is for this reason that the country has made the donation of the 3rd century BC sculpture to the International Court of Justice. For over seventy years, the court has been a beacon to nations seeking justice. Cyprus would like the ICJ and the world to know the nation recognises the efforts the court has made in the cause of justice worldwide.
According to Ambassador Zenon, Cyprus is making great strides in ending the dispute over Famagusta, Europe’s ghost city. There is cautious optimism that within the coming months a plan for the (re)unification of Cyprus might be agreed. Peace talks have been taking place in various locations. Recently, UNSG Ban Ki Moon visited the ongoing negotiations in Switzerland to encourage stakeholders to pursue the road to unification.
His Excellency Ambassador Elpidoforos Economou has organized many interesting activities in 2016. Among them was the Famagusta photo exhibition which was a great success. The Ambassador revealed there will be more promotional events to follow in 2017.
