AKEL will not permit anyone to silence its voice
AKEL Parliamentary Spokesperson Yiorgos Loucaides replies to Foreign Minister’s statements
AKEL C.C. Press Office, 9th October 2019, Nicosia
Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides made statements on a radio station today, making serious insinuations and accusations against AKEL. I will not comment on everything Mr. Christodoulides said. I’ll just comment on two of his references.
The first is his comment that “we should put Cyprus above all else”. We couldn’t agree more. If only President Anastasiades and his government would do just that.
The second is what Mr. Christodoulides said when he stated that AKEL, by criticizing Mr. Anastasiades, gives an excuse to Turkey. This is a very serious accusation. I would like to point out that nothing and no one can justify Turkey’s illegal and condemnable actions, adventurism and the fait accompli that Turkey is creating in Cyprus, whether these concern the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Republic of Cyprus or with regards the fenced-off city of Famagusta or elsewhere.
However, I want to say the following. We wonder, and Mr. Christodoulides, Mr. Anastasiades and the government, must give an answer as to whether it is AKEL’s criticism that led the UN Secretary-General to relieve Turkey of any responsibility and praise it for its stance at Crans Montana in the Report he submitted or whether it is President Anastasiades’ disastrous handlings on the Cyprus problem that led to Turkey being exonerated.
I also want to point out that as AKEL we are not going to permit anyone to silence us. We consider it as our minimum obligation and duty to point out what we believe is best for our country; what we think most appropriately and effectively shields our country from Turkish adventurist actions.
Mr. Christodoulides and Mr. Anastasiades apparently believed that by forging military cooperations Cyprus could be shielded. They believed that Turkey wouldn’t have the means, nor could attain them, but also that neither the co-operation to proceed to the illegal fait accompli it is provoking in our Exclusive Economic Zone. We warned that the opposite could happen.
What has proven to be true and a fact? Should we have kept silent when we were issuing these warnings?
Should we also today keep silent when unfortunately AKEL’s warnings are being tragically being confirmed and when we face the same danger? How can we more effectively tackle Turkey’s provocative actions, but also how can we more effectively create the preconditions for a solution of the Cyprus problem, for liberation and reunification?
Immediately after the Crans Montana conference, we were saying something very simple. Namely, that Mr. Anastasiades must convince the UN Secretary-General and the international community of his genuine readiness and willingness to draw up and agree the terms of reference and to resume negotiations from where they had remained, with a view to their speedy conclusion.
