AKEL: It is evident that President Anastasiades disagrees with the UN Secretary-General’s framework
“Cyprus News Agency”, 28th February 2018
We are not optimistic that the talks on the Cyprus problem will resume very soon, the General Secretary of AKEL Andros Kyprianou said today, declaring that the President of the Republic Nicos Anastasiades disagrees with the UN Secretary General’s framework for the resumption of the negotiations.
In statements made outside Parliament, after the President of the Republic’s swearing-in address, Mr. Kyprianou expressed his concern about what he heard from President Anastasiades’ speech to the House on the Cyprus problem, noting that it is obvious that the President disagrees with the framework charted by the UN Secretary-General for a resumption of the negotiations.
He pointed out that the UN Secretary-General said “clarify between you that you have the same goal, agree on the procedure that you will follow to fulfill this goal and convince me of your political will to move forward.”
He noted that President Anastasiades outlined another framework on the basis of which he wants to move.
“We at least are not optimistic that we will soon have a resumption of the negotiations,” he added
Mr. Kyprianou also said that if the NAVTEX is not canceled, the negotiations cannot resume, but added that when it will be canceled, we must be ready for a substantive resumption of negotiations.
Time will prove who is right and who is wrong, he said, adding that “unfortunately AKEL has been repeatedly vindicated by history for the positions it has expressed.”
Regarding the Turkish Cypriot leadership’s position on the negotiations and Exclusive Economic Zone, he said that “the Turkish Cypriot leadership’s demands are unacceptable and must not be accepted in any way. They are demands that divert us from the goal that should be the solution of the Cyprus problem and they are attempting to achieve the upgrading of the illegal pseudo-state.
“Mr. Akinci too and all the rest should understand that only with the solution of the Cyprus problem will these issues be effectively addressed”, he continued.
Regarding the other references made by President Anastasiades, he said that “we have experienced the policy that has been followed by Mr. Anastasiades. If only he could surprise us and follow a different policy.”
In conclusion, the General Secretary of AKEL that that AKEL would support any initiatives that would serve the well-intentioned interests of the people, while at the same time AKEL will be resisting those that will be against the interests of Cyprus and its people.
