Turkey and Akinci’s statements
Statement by AKEL C.C. Spokesperson Stefanos Stefanou on Turkey and Akinci’s statements
AKEL C.C. Press Office, 10th February 2020, Nicosia
What is taking place in the occupied territories, in the light of the vote for the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community, highlights Turkey’s long-standing attempt to permanently partition Cyprus, to de facto incorporate the occupied areas and wipe out the Turkish Cypriot community. Such a development will represent the completion of the crime committed against our people in 1974 and the beginning of new adventures. As the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci rightly points out, “The annexation of northern Cyprus to Turkey would be horrific”.
Turkey is exploiting the ongoing de facto situation, as well as the prolonged deadlock on the Cyprus problem, with Turkey itself having been relieved of any responsibility by the international community, to promote its goals. The only way to avoid the final partition and incorporation of the occupied territories by Turkey is the achievement of a solution that liberates and reunites our country and the people.
The UN, with the statement by UN Secretary General Guterres at the meeting held in Berlin last November, has made it clear to everyone that following April’s vote for a Turkish Cypriot leader, he will move to continue the negotiations from the point at which they had remained. The leaders on both sides must work to fulfill the goal of resuming the negotiations, regardless of Turkey’s illegal actions and the general difficulties that this behaviour is provoking. They must work towards a negotiation for a bi-zonal, bi-communal federal solution with political equality as outlined in the relevant UN resolutions and on the basis of the Framework put forth by the UN Secretary General.
