With honesty and sincerity, as we had begun the dialogue, we jointly decided to end it
Statement by the General Secretary of AKEL A. Kyprianou
AKEL C.C. Press Office, 15th June 2017, Nicosia
The upcoming Presidential Elections are very critical and decisive for Cyprus’ and the Cypriot people’s future and perspective. We are fully aware of our people’s aspirations. We know that it expects from us a political proposal that will keep the hope for a solution to the Cyprus problem alive; a proposal that will show a way out of the socio-economic problems which the majority of the people are facing; a political proposal will create the preconditions for a progressive reform of society and resolutely combat the phenomena of intertwining interests and corruption; a proposal that will rally wider social forces around it and one that could be victorious.
A large section of society, also a big segment beyond AKEL’s spectrum, is waiting anxiously for our Party’s decision because none of the other presidential candidates express its aspirations; because none of these candidates can give an answer to the anguish and need for Cyprus to turn a page; because it wants to get rid of a government that has made a thousand pre-election pledges and broken them after the election; because it wants to rid itself of a government that plays pre-election games with the solution of the Cyprus problem and is promoting policies for the privileged few, not for the many.
Aware of this heavy responsibility, we took with seriousness and honesty the initiative for a dialogue with personalities and groups of citizens so that we could hear and compose with them programmatic agreements and political convergences that would serve the above objectives.
The effort was to support an honest and competent independent candidacy that could respond to the above and lead Cyprus forward.
Within this framework, we developed a dialogue with Michalis Spanos; an honest and capable person with whom we first agreed on the Cyprus problem and on key socio-economic issues. Broadening the discussion and trying to conclude and specify the framework of our agreement, it emerged that there were issues on which our approaches were such that did not enable us to reach the mutually desirable outcome.
With honesty and sincerity, as we had begun the dialogue, we jointly decided to end it. I would like to thank Michalis Spanos for the ethos, honesty and sincerity with which he has discussed with us all this time. Our roads do not separate. I am sure that this relationship will continue on solid foundations.
We want to assure the people that we shall continue the effort to forge cooperation with all those who are willing to change things in order for Cyprus to go forward. At the same time, we will continue the democratic dialogue inside the Party and among society, discussing with complete transparency and respect of all views. It has once again been reaffirmed that AKEL is a fully democratic party, which discusses, making its people participants in the discussions and steps to be taken. With its strength and collectivity it always moves forward. We will continue the inter-party debates and soon we will present our proposal before the Cypriot people.
