Excerpts from an interview with Aristos Damianou, member of the Political Bureau of the C.C. of AKEL and AKEL MP

“HARAVGI” newspaper, Sunday 13th March 2016, Nicosia

 

How do you assess the situation on the Cyprus problem and how do you respond to those who claim that AKEL is in collusion with the governing DISY party?

AD: The truth is that the talks are at a critical juncture. The fact that after a period of experimentations and regressions the President of the Republic is utilising to a large degree the Christofias-Talat convergences is a positive development. With the assumption by Akinci of the leadership of the Turkish Cypriot leadership objectively there has been some progress registered on the chapters of governance and power sharing, the economy and the EU. There are serious difficult problems with regards the property, hence our reference to the talks being at a critical juncture, given that if the problems will be overcome, we will then we be able to discuss all those core issues that constitute the external aspects of the Cyprus problem and of course the territorial issue.

For AKEL, the peaceful liberation and reunification of our country and people represents a compass for action. The transformation of the Republic of Cyprus into a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation is a commitment of our side for almost 40 years. Those circles and forces who propose idealist but unattainable solutions do not offer any service to our country and people. They are simply playing to and exploiting people’s feelings that in reality flirt with the idea that this current state of affairs is “the second best solution”. We categorically reject this outlook. It is dangerous and inevitably leads to a permanent and de facto legalization of the partitionist status quo.

The allegation about a supposed collusion between AKEL and DISY is laughable. In any case, an enormous ideological and political divide and gap separates us from the leadership of the governing DISY party, let alone from those who steadfastly support the Memoranda austerity policies of DISY and its President Averof Neofytou. If the President of the Republic Nikos Anastasiades – albeit belatedly – has recognized and is utilizing the Christofias-Talat convergences and is approaching some of the positions of the Left and AKEL, we welcome it. And certainly we will not move from our own positions to satisfy the petty-political pursuits of anyone. Certain circles and forces must at last get serious. The Cyprus problem requires responsibility and patriotism, neither pseudo-patriotic sloganeering, but neither of course concessions on issues of principle.

How do you assess the EU’s foreign policy as a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Conference on the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) Committee?

AD: The Inter-Parliamentary Conference on the CFSP and CSDP was established after the Treaty of Lisbon. It aims to discuss major issues of foreign policy between the Union’s institutions, the European Parliament and national parliaments. Unfortunately with the way the Assembly is structured there isn’t any particular scope for waging an in-depth dialogue and debate.

As the Left, we are trying to put our own mark by stressing at every opportunity the need to develop a foreign policy based on International Law and the respect for human rights. An EU which on the major foreign policy issues is in line with NATO or with its branches, such as the so-called “Partnership for Peace”, is very far from our own vision of a different Europe of the peoples and of social rights instead of militarism and multinational monopolies.

We of course utilize the podium of the Inter-parliamentary Assembly, but also our capacity as an EU member state, to highlight the difference of the Left, the principles and values ​​that characterize us and our broader vision of another world, for a world of peace, rights and social justice which is feasible.

The government is celebrating the exit from the Memorandum. How do you respond to the government’s “success story”?

AD: The only “success story” of the government is the love story with the Troika. The claim made by the Anastasiades-DISY party Government that they have addressed the crisis is a provocation to society and especially to the low-income popular strata and the vulnerable groups of the population. The provocation is even greater when they are celebrating about the completion of the Memorandum, given that if the Memorandum has officially ended the crisis remains.

As unfortunately poverty, social hardship and unemployment remain and are afflicting thousands of our fellow citizens. Moreover, in reality the supervision will continue for another 15 years yet, while the Memorandum policies will continue to be imposed with the same zeal by a government, which is shamelessly declaring that the Memorandum could have been its own ideological and political manifesto.

It is for this reason that our efforts to curb and combat the Memoranda austerity policies will continue both inside and outside Parliament. And certainly a powerful AKEL in the House of Representatives represents a bulwark of resistance, but also the leading force for pro-worker and social assertions and demands.