Excerpts from the interview of Andros Kyprianou, General Secretary of the C.C. of AKEL, to “ikypros”

23-24 November, 2015

You strongly denounced the incidents against Turkish Cypriots in the free areas. Do you have information about who and how many were involved in the incidents?

 

– No, I too have read what has been written that AKEL is gathering information and giving it to the police, but that isn’t true. What did occur is that militants of AKEL who had been notified that the incidents had taken place, went from the first moment to be close to the Turkish Cypriots and they were informed by them about the events that took place. As they pointed out, they were attacked by a large number of people and not by two or three individuals as has been presented. What has been written about the “police” of AKEL collecting data etc. is science fiction.

 

– Are you certain that the incidents were organized?

 

– Those that made the attacks are not stupid; they are people who acted quite consciously, perhaps not because they themselves have drawn up a plan to act in this way but because they have been guided and led for many years to think in this way. They have formed fascist views; views which I insist are very dangerous for our country. They cannot be combated by showing any tolerance or by covering up these attacks because some believe we shouldn’t talk about these issues so as not to give them a bigger dimension. This is very erroneous perception.

 

– Do we perhaps overemphasize them in good faith in the effort to handle them?

 

– Is the fact that certain forces and circles are marching in the streets with helmets, gear and handles of axes overdoing it and an exaggeration? Is the fact that AKEL is saying that they are conducting military exercises, verified by photographs and also by the Attorney General, an exaggeration? Why are they doing military exercises? Why are they operating as military units? Can this be something random and coincidental?

 

– Why do you think they are doing so?

 

– I believe that they have aims and objectives. We have seen how the Golden Dawn party in Greece operates. The ultra-right National Popular Front ELAM in Cyprus is a branch of the Golden Dawn party. When they made the application to register their party they used the name Golden Dawn. It was not accepted and they subsequently called themselves ELAM. Golden Dawn in Greece has been declared by the court as a criminal organization. Will ELAM, which is a branch of Golden Dawn, act differently? We shouldn’t have any illusions about these issues.

 

-Do you personally know some of the individuals who form the core of ELAM?

 

-No, I do not know them personally, I know what their names are, I know what their origins are, I know the positions they express. No matter how much they try to camouflage themselves they do not cease being wolves. They have links with neo-Nazis in Germany. This is what the German government admitted after a question was tabled by a Member of the German Parliament. They hosted neo-Nazis in Cyprus. They demanded from the Christofias government that it grants camping sites to accommodate neo-Nazis in Cyprus and this was banned by the Christofias government. These people cannot be something different from the neo-Nazis. When you have such associates can they adhere to democratic views?

 

– Are you interested in a meeting with representatives of ELAM to discuss and listen to them?

 

– No.

 

– ELAM however has distanced or was forced to distance itself from the events that took place.

 

– Is there a fascist who would never admit to being a fascist? On the contrary, he/she will use completely different rhetoric, populist aiming at winning over the masses. Has Hitler ever admitted he was a fascist? His policy aimed to embrace the masses.

 

– You stated that certain circles and forces supported or tolerated ELAM for their own purposes?

 

– I said that certain circles and forces tolerated ELAM because it was a useful voice for them in the campaign against Demetris Christofias and AKEL, back then when they wanted to do away with AKEL.

 

– Who are these circles and forces?

 

– The other political parties.

 

– All the other political parties?

 

– All the other political parties. I want to remind you that in 2009 I warned from the floor of the House of Representatives about these extremist, fanatical and fascist phenomena and behaviours. I said that they should have been tackled promptly, otherwise we will lament over ruins. Back then I came under an avalanche of attacks, not only from political parties but also by the mass media. They were accusing me of seeing ghosts and they told me that I was saying all this in order to rally our party supporters. Something similar is happening today with the issue of Grivas.

 

– How have you assessed the refusal by Mr. Akinci to attend the reception with the German Foreign Minister? Did you go?

 

– I had other obligations, but was I represented by an AKEL Member of Parliament. I will not linger on this specific action of Akinci. Allow me to say that in recent days I see him as being somewhat nervous, making statements which in my view are incorrect. Mr. Akinci must realize that the functioning of the Republic of Cyprus cannot stop until a solution is found to the Cyprus problem. The Republic of Cyprus will continue to function and everyone must understand this. Beyond that, we are dedicated to the efforts to find a solution. And we will try to contribute in order to create the conditions that will allow us to reach an agreement.

 

– Do you consider Mr. Akinci is a Turkish Cypriot leadership that will not obey Ankara’s orders?

 

– I think Mr. Akinci is a figure that is roughly on the same wavelength with Mr. Talat. Both were committed to a solution of the Cyprus problem and both were ready whenever they felt they had to clash, even with Turkey itself, to do so. Mr. Akinci isn’t Eroglu, nor Denktash and has nothing whatsoever to do with their approaches to the solution of the Cyprus problem. I really regret that some Greek Cypriot politicians are trying to undermine him as a political figure. I honestly wonder if we ignore Akinci too, who will we talk to in order to find a solution to the Cyprus problem?

 

– But do you think that Akinci will be able to escape from thecommandments Turkey issues on decisions affecting the Cyprus problem?

 

– The proof is Talat. Talat agreed with Demetris Christofias to positions which were not accepted by Turkey. This did not prevent him from agreeing and to go and go back again to Turkey in an effort to convince them. And Mr. Akinci I think is ready to work in the same way, indeed taking into account that in the past he clashed with Turkey without any inhibitions.

 

– Some political leaders insist that we have overestimated Akinci. The President of the Democratic Party says we’ve turned him into a co-president…

 

– He should tell us – as a result of what concrete actions?

 

– But he did say: with the increase of visits by foreign officials to the occupied areas, with the increase in Akinci’s visits and meetings with officials abroad. These actions according to him also imply recognition of the pseudo-state…

 

– Allow me to say that Mr. Papadopoulos has a short memory. And I do not say this in a negative way, but objectively. He should look a little to the past and realize that the same was happening even during the administration of Tassos Papadopoulos.

 

– However, there wasn’t the same frequency of contacts that exists today…

 

– Is the essence the frequency or if they actually occurred? The current frequency of visits is because many believe that today the Cyprus problem can be solved. However what is important is if the same things were happening back then as well. If these contacts and visits were happening, then it is not a question of the frequency of visits….

 

– As AKEL, do you consider that the talks are progressing well and we are heading towards a solution?

 

– AKEL has never said that we are close to a solution and I am sorry that some circles and forces are trying to promote the idea that AKEL supports these positions. Of course I am referring to the other political parties. We, as AKEL, from the very beginning said that there are great difficulties; difficulties on the property issue, the issue of security, the territorial issue, the issues relating to demilitarization, issues relating to the Turkish Cypriot’s demand for guaranteed population and property majorities, difficulties in their demand to convert the solution into the primary law of the European Union. These are thorns and we knew from the beginning that we would have to face them. The crucial question is what do you do when you encounter difficulties? Do you give up and leave and say “the Cyprus problem can’t be solved, I stop all efforts”? If we don’t discuss then this will inevitably lead us to partition. What AKEL proposes is to reflect on how we can convince the Turkish Cypriot side and Turkey itself that a solution within the framework of International Law and the principles on which the EU operates is in their favour.

 

– Some parties distance their position from the bi-zonal, bi-communal federation because they consider it a racist solution…

 

– Demetris Christofias and Mehmet Ali Talat agreed to fully guarantee all basic freedoms, both with regards the movement and settlement and the acquisition of property and the right to work. They agreed on these issues. It is regretful that some forces and circles are coming out saying that these rights are being limited, lunching misleading propaganda based on false facts. In the United States there are 51 federal states. Here there will be two constituent states. The difference here is that one state will administered by the Turkish Cypriot community and the Greek Cypriot community the other. Both component entities will be under the central government which will be the Federation.

 

– What was the reason for two entities?

 

– The coup d’état and the Turkish invasion. If the coup d’état and the Turkish invasion hadn’t taken place we would not be discussing about a federal solution.

 

– But the Turkish position for separation goes was long-standing, from the time of the enclaves.

 

– Yes, there was this position – as a result of the problems that existed between the communities.

 

– With federation, as those opposing it declare, it is inevitable that some rights are violated…

 

– But who says these things? The only right that will be violated is the political right to vote regarding where a section of Greek Cypriots will vote if it is a majority in the Turkish Cypriot region – if this will ever happen. We say this because as AKEL talks to many people, my own feeling is that not all the refugees will return back to their homes. Therefore, in the event that the Greek Cypriots will become a majority in the Turkish Cypriot constituent entity, then and only then, will political rights be affected. Don’t we have voters today who are registered in polling stations other than their place of residence? Don’t we have people living in one area, but vote in another?

 

– How are your relations with President Anastasiades?

 

– Our relations with the President on a personal level, as with all politicians, are good. Politically we exert very strong criticism because we disagree on the issues of the economy. As regards the Cyprus problem, we support the negotiation procedure. There and where we disagree with the President’s handling of the Cyprus problem we exert criticism, where we agree we support his efforts.

 

– What would you say is the most important problem facing AKEL today?

 

– No problem is more important than the agony that we encounter daily among the people for their survival which is becoming more difficult because of anti-social austerity policies imposed on them, but also the prospect concerning our survival as a people that will only be ensured through the solution of the Cyprus problem.