AKEL and CTP declare that the efforts for a solution within the UN framework must continue
6th September 2017, GNOMI weekly newspaper
The leaders of AKEL and the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) have expressed their common will to continue the efforts to solve the Cyprus problem within the framework of the United Nations and reunify the island.
AKEL’s delegation, headed by the General Secretary of the Party Andros Kyprianou, today visited the CTP offices in the occupied areas where it had a meeting with a CTP party delegation headed by CTP leader Tufan Erhürman.
In statements made after the meeting, Mr. Kyprianou said that they had a very productive and meaningful discussion and expressed the common concern of both parties “about the situation that is being formed in our common homeland after the failure at Crans Montana.”
“There is, on the one hand, the danger that we may slip into negative developments as regards the effort to solve the Cyprus problem, but on the other hand, to slide into developments that will finalize the partition on our island,” he said.
He said that AKEL will have meetings with the peace-loving forces within the Turkish Cypriot community, namely those forces that want and are seeking, as we are too, the solution of the Cyprus problem and reunification of our common homeland “so that we can discuss how we can move things forward”.
“Despite all the difficulties that exist, we believe it is of the utmost importance to keep the hope for a solution of the Cyprus problem alive. The desire of AKEL and CTP to continue their efforts to reach a solution within the agreed principles is common”, he noted.
The General Secretary of AKEL expressed AKEL’s satisfaction “because for CTP, the solution of the Cyprus problem remains the first priority, and I also want to thank Tufan, but also CTP because they are vigorously defending a solution within the framework of the UN.” CTP has also issued a relevant announcement on the subject of the pilgrimage to the church of St. Mamas in Morphou.
“I want to thank them for that because I believe that such actions send the message that Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots can struggle together to create the conditions for a solution as set out by the UN framework,” he said.
He reiterated that “AKEL will never compromise with the idea of the perpetuation of the existing status quo. There are various dangers of such a possibility emerging, so we will continue our efforts with all the forces within the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities that want and are genuinely seeking the solution to reunite our island.”
He added that they will meet again with the leadership of the CTP “to discuss further steps to be made”.
On his part, CTP leader Mr. Erhürman, speaking through an interpreter, described the meeting as “productive and beneficial”.
He said the two parties, who have been working together for many years, have struggled for the solution and reunification of the country, are also concerned about the failure of the Crans Montana talks, but also about the developments that subsequently followed this failure.
“Unfortunately, we continue to experience some negative developments at a time when the efforts to solve the Cyprus problem should have continued,” he said.
He noted that “unfortunately, we have negative developments, such as the fact that the work of the ad hoc Commission on the harmonization of the Turkish Cypriot community with the European acquis has stopped”.
At the same time, he added that “we are watching with great appreciation AKEL’s effort to transmit everything that happened at Crans Montana within the Greek Cypriot community.”
He said that the only viable path of solving the Cyprus problem, as stated in the decisions of CTP, is through “a bi-zonal, bicommunal federal solution based on the political equality of the two communities, a solution within the framework of the United Nations”. He added that AKEL shares this position.
Regarding the religious ceremony at the Church of St. Mamas in Morphou, he said that “we as a left party believe that not allowing this religious ceremony to take place constitutes a violation of human rights and that is why we as a left party should condemn and do condemn it”.
Furthermore, he said that they expressed their reflections about some problems faced by Turkish Cypriots such as athletes who cannot participate in international organizations and the Turkish Cypriots “who have mixed marriages and whose children cannot acquire citizenship of the Republic.”
