AKEL GS meeting with the Representative of the Maronite community and Community heads of the Maronite villages
Statements by the General Secretary of the C.C. of AKEL A.Kyprianou after meeting a delegation from the Maronite Community
AKEL C.C. Press Office, 7th December 2017, Nicosia
Statements by the General Secretary of AKEL A.Kyprianou:
I wish to express my satisfaction for the very practical and comprehensive meeting we had today with a delegation from the Maronite community headed by its Representative our friend Yiannakis Mousa, together with the participation of the Community heads of the Maronite villages.
We had a very meaningful discussion about the developments surrounding the Cyprus problem and the need after the Presidential elections for the negotiations to resume from the point where they had left off in Crans Montana with the aim of reaching an agreement based on the long-standing positions of the National Council. At the same time, we also discussed the issues that concern the Maronite community after the collapse of the negotiations in Crans Montana.
On our part, I outlined the positions of AKEL regarding the efforts to solve the Cyprus problem.
I have reiterated that AKEL does not discuss neither partition, nor confederation. We insist on the agreed framework of the solution as it has been agreed since 1977 and repeatedly reaffirmed so far by all – without exception – the Presidents of the Republic of Cyprus and by the international community itself in repeated resolutions. We insist that the negotiations must continue on the basis of the UN Secretary-General’s framework as it was tabled at Crans Montana and at the same time we attach great importance to the informal document on the mechanism for implementing the solution.
With regard to the invitation extended by the leadership of the Turkish Cypriot community for the return of the Maronites to the Maronite villages, we have discussed and exchanged views on what handlings must be made on the issue. I fully support their position that the effort must be to preserve the Maronite villages and that the complete settlement of the Maronites in the four Maronite villages will be done with the solution to the Cyprus problem. It is the declared position of the Maronite community that it wants to be part of the Greek Cypriot community with the solution of the Cyprus problem and we not only respect this position, but also support and shall support it strongly in the future too.
At the same time, I have to say that we have discussed and exchanged views on how the state could help in preserving the Maronite community’s identity. They have concrete proposals. When these proposals are ready and specific, we as AKEL will support them because we believe they are extremely important.
Like us when we living abroad, we want to maintain our identity when living together with bigger communities, so I believe that the Maronite community too here in Cyprus quite rightly wants to maintain its own character and identity, to have the opportunity to raise the young generations in its own traditions, morals and customs without, of course, at the same time not being also part of the Cypriot society as a whole. The Maronites are an integral part of Cypriot society, but also have their own specific characteristics and have every right to preserve these specific characteristics.
Statements by Yiannakis Mousa on behalf of the Maronite community:
We really want to thank the General Secretary of the C.C. of AKEL and AKEL for their longstanding interest on all the issues of concern to the Maronite community. It is a Party which for many years knows, is informed and is trying to support the community and that is why we thank them very much.
Today we had a long and very productive meeting with the General Secretary of AKEL, who had briefed us very thoroughly on the Cyprus problem and the latest developments, as they had evolved in Crans Montana, but also subsequently afterwards.
At the same time, as the Maronite community, we have set out in the most formal way the issues that concern us and which touch on the core of our community’s problems.
I feel that we have a strong supporter, the General Secretary and AKEL, who I am sure will stand by our side in addressing and resolving all our problems, in the House of Representatives, the government and in the Republic of Cyprus in general. I am sure that AKEL will play a positive role in supporting the efforts of the Maronite community.
Of course our main issue is that of our villages. We want to keep them alive until the time of the solution of the Cyprus problem and we are and will continue to work towards this end.
