The Exchanges

Q Bretton Woods, to the dollar being on the gold standard, to going out of it, in a way, the The institutions have been modeled in a manner to favor the incumbent, and the incumbent since World War II to now, to a large part, I would say, the transition from the British incumbency to American happened pre-World War II in my opinion, but have these institutions not favored the incumbent?

A In a way, yes, especially at the beginning. They were the ones that they established those institutions, so they established them in a way to serve their interests. What is the difference today? We are living in a very interconnected world. Let's go in the Gulf, and what's going on in the Gulf with Iran, Israel, and the countries of the Gulf is something that influences also the United States, which geographically is very far away. It influences everybody. What's happening in India influences also the situation in the United States. So, the world today is much more interconnected compared with, ah, the way it was in 1945. So, the institutions that they were established following World War II, And we needed those institutions. We need to update these institutions to reflect today's reality and how interconnected our world is.

AI assessment note: “In a way, yes, especially at the beginning.”

Q You wrote about this, right? You wrote a book about it.

A Yeah, and how the international system was developed after World War II, how small states were influenced by the developments. I mean, in a way, following the collapse of the Cold War, you remember Francis Vujoghama and some other, they told about the end of history. That we're entering a new era, that all countries are going to work together, cooperate for the common cause, etc. But, um, ah, when I was studying in the United States, there were actually two school of thoughts, the realist school of thoughts, and the idealist school of thoughts. And I was always, ah, believing in this, ah, realist school of thoughts, that, you know, states, they always compete, who is going to be, you know, Uh, the leader. So, even after the collapse of the Cold War, you know, I was expecting that in 2030, 15 years, we're going to go back to this, you know, uh, anarchic, in a way, international system. And we're seeing this, uh, today. And I'm witnessing this at a time, not from the academic point of view, which is much more easier, But being a leader of a country that is, uh, located in, as I told you before, in a region of greater importance, a country that is under Turkish occupation, a country that tries to, you know, balance between, uh, different interests with them always to support and promote the interests of, of, of your country. And, um, it's here that I really believe that India can …

AI assessment note: “Yeah, and how the international system was developed after World War II”

Q life, like Indians, the Indians that are watching it, like, which is a half of my audience, they'd have thought of Cyprus for a minute in their lives, maybe, because it is a small country. It's a million and a half people. What is the opportunity not for a government, not for policy, but for individuals and businesses in India to engage with Cyprus? What is the low hanging fruit?

A An Indian business person that invests in Cyprus. Immediately, he or she has an access to the market of 450 million people, the European market. At the same time, he has access in a, in a very promising region, which is the greater Middle East, Gulf and the Middle East. In a predictable, reliable country with security. Um, we are following the, we have the common law, as you, uh, as you have here. So, uh, it's giving a lot of, uh, advantages to, to an Indian, uh, business person that decides to, to invest in Cyprus. But we approach India, not just as a market, it's much more. India for Cyprus is much more than a market. I told you before that we try on all international issues. So you are in a country, a friendly country, like-minded country. You are in the region, at the same time you are in Europe. You know, the biggest advantage of Cyprus, if you ask me, is our geographical position. Because we connect Europe. Ah, with the region. And if you ask me, one of my vision when I became president is to really connect, ah, Europe with the region, and Cyprus being the bridge, ah, the bridge between the two. And we have the DNA to do it.

AI assessment note: “Immediately, he or she has an access to the market of 450 million people”

Q I agree with you a hundred percent that India needs to be a part of it, but will that change the outcomes these institutions are trying to drive?

A Yes. Because, um, it will, uh, it will give to these institutions much more credibility, reflecting today's realities. We need to have an open and frank discussions on giving relevance to the international, ah, institutions that they were established following World War II, ah, the international trade system, and, ah, and make them relevant to today's reality. Because what is the reason behind the United States changing their policies? Tarifs, ah, unitary foreign policy against multilateralism, etc. Because you see that, ah, today's international system Is not relevant with today's realities. That is why we need to change it. We need to update it. Because at the end of the day, if we, all of us will follow a, you know, An approach of just serving our interest in the long run. I mean, in the short run, we may see, you know, some interest, some gains, but in the long run, it's going to be a lose, lose, uh, situation.

AI assessment note: “Yes. Because, um, it will, uh, it will give to these institutions much more credibility”

Q And when you say connecting, what do you mean for trade?

A Not only trade. To institutionalize our relationship, you know, I mean, trade, economy, um, approaching international issues, everything, through a regional organization, something like the Organization for the Security and Cooperation in Europe that we had in Τι έκανε σε δύσκολο, επειδή το ελληνικό σύστημα, το ελληνικό σύστημα σύστημα σύστημα του ελληνικού ελληνικού ελληνικού ελληνικού ελληνικού ελληνικού ελληνικού ελληνικού ελληνικού ελληνικού ελληνικού ελληνικού ελληνικού ελληνικού ελληνικού ελληνικού ελληνικού ελληνικού ελληνικού ελληνικού ελληνικού ελληνικού ελληνικού ελληνικού ελληνικού ελληνικού ελληνικού ελληνικού ελληνικού ελληνικού ελληνικού ελληνικού ελληνικού ελληνικού ελληνικού So, let's start with a regional organization, starting from India to Europe. Give substance to this trade, economy. And at the end of the day, all of us participating in this regional organization will see the benefits out of this cooperation. And we expand this with more and more regions.

AI assessment note: “Not only trade. To institutionalize our relationship... through a regional organization”

Q Yeah. Do countries, the very concept of countries, the concept of borders, the concept of armies, Make sense for a more evolved world? Aren't all people the same at the end of the day?

A At the end of the day, we need to be all the same. How you avoid the war? Nobody wants war, right? So how you avoid the war? If we create a situation that Η ρίσκη για το τρίτο χωρίς να ξεκινήσει μια κυβέρνηση είναι τόσο κόσο, ότι θα κάνει το χωρίς να πιστεύει δύο ή τρεις φορές πριν να ξεκινήσει μια κυβέρνηση. Είναι ο μόνος τρόπος για να το αφήσουμε. Αυτό είναι αυτό που θέλω να ιδιωτήσω να ιδιωτήσουμε την εργασία. Cooperation, starting from India to Europe, and Cyprus really is the, is the entry point, the gateway of India, ah, to Europe. Υπότιτλοι AUTHORWAVE, διότιτλοι AUTHORWAVE, διότι να δώσουν την πραγματικότητα ότι όλες αυτές οι χώρες έρχονται σχεδόν από την εξαιρεία μου. Μετά από αυτήν την συνεργασία, όλοι αυτούς θα βλέπουμε βοηθάσεις. Υπότιτλοι AUTHORWAVE, διότιτλοι AUTHORWAVE, διότιτλοι AUTHORWAVE, διότιτλοι AUTHORWAVE, δημιουργάζοντας την πράγματα που δεν είχαν πράγματα αυτής της οργανωσίας, I have a benefit to join this organization. In order to join this organization, I need to behave in a certain way. Not, or put it a different way, respecting the sovereignty, the territorial integrity and independence of India. Because if I'm going to question and challenge the, the territorial integrity and the sovereignty of India, I will be excluded by this regional organization that is giving so many benefits to the countries that are participating and to their people.

AI assessment note: “How you avoid the war? Nobody wants war, right? So how you avoid the war?”