The essence of the issue of security and guarantees will be judged at the negotiating table

AKEL on the UN SG Special Advisor’s common document

Statement by Stefanos Stefanou, AKEL C.C. Spokesperson

AKEL C.C. Press Office, 23th June 2017, Nicosia

We express our regret that, just a few days before the crucial Conference of Switzerland, confrontations have began on the domestic front on the document prepared by the UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Cyprus Mr. Eide.

We consciously decided not to participate in the confrontation, not even yesterday, which we consider to be harmful and diverting from the essence of what is at stake in the Conference in Switzerland.

Given the confrontation and all that has been said about the Eide document, we are forced to say a few things without, of course, violating the confidentiality to which all the involved parties had committed themselves.

From the reference contained in the UN Secretary General’s announcement at the New York meeting, it became clear that the common document would not be a document-proposal on the essence of the issue of security and guarantees. It was obvious that it would be a document-guide and that it would be based on the material that emerged at the Geneva Conference and the Mont Peleran 3 meeting.

This aspect strongly characterizes the document which Mr. Eide has prepared. There are numerous positive elements. There are also some elements that are negative. The President of the Republic’s responsibility is to make use of the opportunity given to the parties involved and to proceed to make the necessary comments on the document.

The essence of the issue of security and guarantees will be judged at the negotiating table. That is where we should focus our attention on by preparing properly to deal with any possible developments.

In view of the meeting in Switzerland, AKEL once again addresses an appeal for calm and prudence to prevail and for us to be creative and helpful so that we can utilize every possibility and opportunity to take a decisive step towards the solution of the Cyprus problem.

We as AKEL will continue to behave seriously and responsibly, far from confrontations and the cultivation of phobic syndromes. This is what we consider to be the patriotic duty of all in these critical times we are going through as a country and people.