The EU’s statements of solidarity with Cyprus should at long last have a practical meaning

Statement by AKEL C.C. Spokesperson Stefanos Stefanou

On the possible opening of an EU-Turkey dialogue

AKEL C.C. Press Office, 2 July 2020, Nicosia

The processes underway at a European level in view of the EU Council of Foreign Ministers on 13th July on the possibility of opening an EU-Turkey dialogue must be made use of by the government.

Without harboring any illusions about the EU and fully aware of the very strong economic, trade, political and military ties that connect Turkey with EU states, we must make use of every possibility that exists so that that the EU’s statements of solidarity with Cyprus should at long last have a practical meaning.

There should be a substantive EU response to Turkey’s aggression against the Republic of Cyprus and Greece, and at the same time it should be made clear that the path of dialogue and international law is the only path that can be mutually beneficial for all sides. AKEL is ready to contribute to the government’s efforts in this direction.

At the same time, AKEL stresses that in all these processes, the first priority for our side must be the solution of the Cyprus Problem, the effort to end the ongoing occupation and division of our country. Our aim must be to resume the negotiations from the point where they had remained in order to solve the Cyprus problem based on the agreed framework, which will permit other issues to be solved as well in relation to the demarcation of the maritime zones in the Eastern Mediterranean.

At the same time, the Republic of Cyprus, as an EU member state, must not remain indifferent and inactive on other issues concerning EU-Turkey relations. Issues such as the instrumentalisation of refugees by Turkey which are served through the EU-Erdogan agreement on the refugee/immigration issue, Turkey’s aggression against Syria and Iraq, the extensive arms trade between EU states and Ankara, the Kurdish issue, the state of the rule of law and democracy in Turkey, human rights violations and the persecution of dissidents are all issues on which the Republic of Cyprus must also take a very clear position based on principles.