The President must very clearly, without any ambiguities, provide an answer on the issue of the framework of the solution and that he is not discussing anything but Bizonal, Bi-communal Federation

Statement by AKEL C.C. Spokesperson Stefanos Stefanou on the Anastasiades’ intentions on the Cyprus problem

AKEL C.C. Press Office, 28 January 2019, Nicosia

What Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side is saying about Mr. Anastasiades’ intentions with regards the framework of the solution, also complement several other statements which every now and then, especially lately, have been made in relation to the President of the Republic’s intentions – whether these statements were made by the Vice-President of the “Citizens’ Alliance” party, whether written by Editor-in-chiefs and journalists of newspapers – and a particular article was written today as well in a daily newspaper – or by the government spokesman himself in his statements to the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation.

It is up to him if the President of the Republic wants to address this damaging indeed talk that is developing concerning his intentions. He must very clearly, without any ambiguities, provide an answer as to the issue of the framework of the solution and that he is not discussing anything but Bizonal, Bi-communal Federation.

In order to address Turkey’s plans for a deviation from this specific framework of the solution, the President must take a clear stand in relation to the resumption of negotiations on the basis of the convergences that have been achieved, and on the basis of the Guterres framework, but also on the informal framework for the implementation of the solution.

In order to confront this talk, the President must stop opening up issues that lead him into a confrontation with the UN Secretary-General’s framework. He must also stop demonizing issues which the Greek Cypriot side has agreed to for some years, such as the issue of political equality.

It is therefore up to the President to address the discussion on the framework of the solution. We await to hear very clear positions being expressed so that Turkey will have little room to play any games.