AKEL calls on President Anastasiades to take initiatives on the Cyprus problem
26 April 2018, “Cyprus News Agency”
The General Secretary of AKEL Andros Kyprianou called on the President of the Republic Nicos Anastasiades to take initiatives in order to send out clear messages to the international community and to the UN Secretary-General himself.
In statements he made after a meeting he had with the President of the Republic within the context of the President’s round of meetings to inform the political leaders about his dinner with the Turkish Cypriot leader, Andros Kyprianou said the meeting was of substance in which the Cyprus problem was discussed, while at the end President Anastasiades handed them the bills that are pending in the House of Representatives, seeking an understanding for the bills to be promoted and approved.
On this issue, Mr. Kyprianou said that his Party will support those bills it considers serve the good of society and the interests of citizens, while where there is a different view the Party will not support them.
As for the Cyprus problem is concerned, Mr. Kyprianou initially said that unity on the domestic front is the key to addressing Turkey’s provocations and aggression. However, for unity to be forged there must be agreement on the positions on which the Greek Cypriot side will move, and at the same time there must be pre-consultation and mutual respect.
“AKEL insists on pursuing the long-standing positions of the National Council and, on the basis of these, we express our long-standing positions as a Party,” he said, adding that he has put forth to the President the choices we have in front of us and the fact that the situation in the Turkish Cypriot community is being altered very rapidly.
The General Secretary of AKEL noted that what is imperative right now, in view of the upcoming Turkish elections, is that President Anastasiades should take initiatives to send out clear and very sincere messages to the international community and to the UN Secretary-General himself. “He must say clearly to the UN Secretary-General himself without any footnotes that the Greek Cypriot side is ready to proceed on the basis of the procedure the UNSG outlines in his successive Reports,” Andros Kyprianou said.
He pointed out that we must understand that we have two choices before us: One option is to let time go by, with the result that matters will gradually lead to partition, which will not be the end of the road, but instead the beginning of new plights and suffering for Cyprus. The other option is regardless of all the difficulties that exist, we should seek to resume substantive negotiations and try to dampen Turkish intransigence having the positions of the UN Secretary-General as a protective shield. “Either Turkey will consent on the issues regarding the abolition of guarantees, or it will remain exposed in the eyes of the international community,” he added.
Asked what else the Greek Cypriot side could do, Mr. Kyprianou said there are different assessments about what the Greek Cypriot side did at the Crans Montana conference, given that the UN Secretary-General has described in a positive way the Turkish side’s role, something that the EU High Representative F. Mogherini has done recently. On the contrary, Mr. Guterres has said he has concluded that there is a lack of political will from the two leaders. “We want Mr. Anastasiades to demonstrate the political will that the Secretary-General says he did not show at Crans Montana”, he went on to say.
Responding to another question, the General Secretary of AKEL said that if an attempt to resume substantive negotiations with a view to reaching a solution as soon as possible is ascertained, “we will support it”.
