AKEL on the 40th anniversary of the Turkish invasion
AKEL C.C. Press Office, 20th July 2014, Nicosia
This year marks the 40th anniversary since that terrible ill-fated day of 20th July 1974 – the day of the barbaric Turkish invasion of the Turkish Attila, colonization of the occupied areas and the destruction of our cultural heritage. AKEL denounces and condemns in the strongest possible terms once again the crimes that have been committed and are continuing against the whole of the Cypriot people.
The invasion by Turkey represented the second part of the anti-Cypriot conspiracy that was designed and elaborated in foreign decision-making centres with the cooperation of Ankara. Regretfully obedient servants to execute the plans of this conspiracy were found both in Athens and Cyprus. Without the treacherous activity of Grivas and EOKA B these foreign forces and circles would not have been able to realize their plans for the dissolution of the Republic of Cyprus and the handing over of half of Cyprus to Turkey. This historical truth cannot be hidden, despite all the efforts of certain circles and forces to do so who not only do not make any reference refer to EOKA B, but provocatively continue to also honour those who attempted through the force of arms to destroy the Republic of Cyprus.
We can also add to these attempts underway today the even more outrageous effort to pardon and exonerate the foreign powers responsible for the Cyprus tragedy, namely NATO. This coordinated campaign to revise the historical truth not only represents an insult to the memory of all those who fought and sacrificed their very lives for the Republic and Democracy, but also obstructs our people from drawing lessons that will prevent any future woes and suffering.
The invasion of the Turkish armed forces caused havoc and devastation. It resulted in thousands of dead, war-stricken people, missing persons, the enclaved people in the occupied areas and refugees. We honour the memory of the fallen, who although betrayed resisted the Turkish Attila and defended with their lives the independence of Cyprus. We express once again our unreserved support to the families and relatives of our missing persons, insisting on the verification of their fate. We support the refugees, the enclaved people in the occupied areas and those who have lost their beloved, stressing that the woes of the economic crisis should not have reduced the state’s help to them. We are on the side of the refugees in their struggle to safeguard the right of return.
Yet another black anniversary of the Turkish invasion finds the Cypriot people at the forefront of the struggle for liberation from the occupation and the reunification of our people and homeland. Our goal is to achieve a solution of the Cyprus problem as soon as possible. The solution must end the occupation, the colonization of the occupied areas and any foreign dependence, as well as safeguarding the human rights and basic freedoms of the Cypriot people as a whole.
The parameters of the solution are given and must be in line with International Law, the resolutions of the United Nations and the High-Level Agreements. The evolvement of the Republic of Cyprus into a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political equality as set out by the UN resolutions and which shall safeguard that the reunified Republic of Cyprus will continue to have a single sovereignty, a single international personality and a single citizenship is the only available solution.
Unfortunately, the intransigent stance of Ankara and the Turkish Cypriot leadership, together with the tolerance shown by Turkey’s allies, have not so far permitted the solution of the Cyprus problem. However, we believe that our stance at the negotiating table is a factor that can substantially influence the cause of the solution. The direct bi-communal negotiations underway are the only available way to find a solution of the Cyprus problem. More specifically, in a period when the international factor is showing an increased interest in the stabilization in our region, our own handling with regards the talks must serve to the greatest possible degree the prospect of an overall solution to the Cyprus problem based on principles.
The experience of the previous months teaches us that the utilization of the work done during the past five years and the convergences agreed between Christofias-Talat are indispensible in order to combat Turkey’s and the Turkish Cypriot leadership’s possible plans. The stagnation observed in the current phase of the talks confirm that the policy of negotiation from the beginning anything but serves the goal of the solution which is the reunification of Cypru sand its people. On the contrary, this policy widens the gap between the two sides. It gives the Turkish side the opportunity to submit positions that reverse the agreed framework and at the same time apportion the responsibility on the Greek Cypriot side.
It is imperative that decisiveness is demonstrated for a solution, far from any experimentations. The President of the Republic has every right to promote his own policy on the Cyprus problem. As AKEL however we insist that the work done over the last five years must be used. AKEL has demonstrated in practice that as long as the perspective of a solution based on principles remains visible, it will continue to contribute creatively and responsibly by supporting the ongoing procedure, warning at the same time about the potential consequences of a new breakdown in the talks.
An indispensible prerequisite for the successful outcome of our struggle is unity on our domestic front. Of course unity cannot be an opportunistic slogan to serve communication policies; unity must be based on principles such as the respect towards our country’s historical truth, a dialogue conducted on an equal basis, respect between the political forces and to different opinions. Unity does not mean the leveling of the existing political differences, but an attempt to achieve a synthesis of views. AKEL will continue to work for unity within this context.
As AKEL we insist on a parallel policy of rapprochement and address a militant greeting to patriotic Turkish Cypriots who in adverse conditions are waging a difficult struggle. Furthermore, we assure the people, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, that AKEL shall remain a consistent opponent of nationalism-chauvinism and extreme-right wing ideas that are poisoning relations between the two communities.
40 years after the occupation, the barbed wires of division continue to cause us the same pain. The indelible memories of 1974 continue to fill us with questions about the painful loss of children, the father, sister and brother, mother of our beloved ones, relatives and friends; questions about the heinous abduction of our fellow compatriots and the violent dispossession of our homeland.
These 40 years continue however at the same time to remind us that the best memorial for those who perished and the most important promise to the future generations will be given by the uprooting of the barbed wires of division; a free and reunified country that will safeguard a safe and secure future for all its citizens, Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Maronites, Armenians and Latins. This is the vision that will continue to guide us and determine our struggles.
