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AKEL on Black Anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus

 

AKEL C.C. Press Office, 19th July 2015, Nicosia

 

cpr invasion With the completion of 41 years since the brutal invasion of the Turkish Attila, AKEL condemns in the strongest possible terms, the crimes that have been committed against the Cypriot people. We condemn the invasion and continuing occupation, colonization and the destruction of the Cypriot cultural heritage.

Turkey’s invasion was the second part of the drama of Cyprus, the result of the conspiracy organized against Cyprus, which was planned in foreign decision-making centres with the synergy of Ankara, under the guidance and with final approval of NATO. That conspiracy unfortunately found obedient executioners in both Athens and Cyprus. Without the treacherous action of the Greek junta, Grivas and EOKA B the foreign powers and forces could not have implement their plans to dissolve the Republic of Cyprus and surrender half of Cyprus to Turkey. This is the historic truth and no matter how much some forces and circles are trying to distort it, this historical truth cannot be hidden.

The Turkish invasion brought devastation and caused destruction. Thousands are the dead, the wounded, the war-stricken victims, the missing persons, the enclaved people in the occupied areas and the refugees. We pay tribute to those who, though betrayed, stood up and resisted the Turkish Army Attila, defending the independence of Cyprus.

We express once again our unreserved support to the relatives of our missing persons, insisting on the verification of their fate. We support the refugees, the enclaved people and war-stricken people, underlining that the problems of the economic crisis must not reduce the state’s help towards them. We stand at the side of the refugees in their struggle to secure the right of return.

Forty-one years after 1974, our people are still at the forefront of the struggle for liberation from the occupation and for the reunification of our homeland. The aim is the solution of the Cyprus problem as soon as possible for a solution that will terminate the occupation, colonization and any foreign dependence; a solution that will safeguard the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all the Cypriot people and that will lay the foundations for prosperity and progress of the people of Cyprus as a whole in a peaceful environment.

The parameters of the solution are based on International Law, the UN resolutions and the High-Level Agreements. The evolvement of Cyprus into a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political equality, as defined in the United Nations resolutions, which will ensure that the reunified Republic of Cyprus will continue to have a single indivisible sovereignty, a single international personality and a single citizenship, is the only available solution.

Ankara’s stand so far, together with the tolerance of its allies, did not permit the solution of the Cyprus problem. The assumption by Mustafa Akinci of the leadership of the Turkish Cypriot community constitutes a hopeful development that we hope will translate into a real positive perspective through the procedure of talks that have resumed. Within this framework, our stand at the negotiating table is a factor that may substantially affect the cause of the solution. Dedication to what has already been agreed and the utilisation of the Christofias-Talat convergences can protect the procedure from deviations, but also move things forward at a faster pace.

AKEL has proven in practice that as long as the prospect of a solution based on principles remains visible, it will continue to contribute creatively and responsibly by backing the ongoing procedure, whilst at the same time warning about the possible consequences of a new breakdown in the talks.

An indispensable precondition for the success of our struggle is unity on the domestic front. Unity must be based on principles such as the respect for the country’s history, the development of an equal dialogue, respect between the political forces and towards the different view. Unity does not mean the levelling of existing political differences, but trying to achieve a synthesis of views. AKEL will continue to work for unity within this framework.

As AKEL, we persist at the same time on the policy of rapprochement and address a militant greeting to Turkish Cypriot patriots, who in adverse conditions are waging their own struggle. We also assure the people, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots that AKEL will remain a steadfast opponent of nationalism, chauvinism and extreme right-wing ideologies that poison relations between the two communities.

Forty-one years after the invasion, the occupation and the division continues to hurt the body of our country and rekindle the memories of that dark July. The questions regarding the unjust loss of so many people and the destruction of so many families remain unanswered. However, it is highlighted even more strongly than before that the best memorial for those who perished and the most important promise to those who will come will be given by the uprooting of the barbed wire of division; by a free, reunited homeland that will ensure a safe and secure future for all its citizens, Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Maronites, Armenians and Latins. This still remains the vision that guides us and determines our struggles.

 

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