AKEL expresses its deep concern about the latest developments on the Cyprus problem
AKEL C.C. Press Office, 24th July 2017, Nicosia
I want to express our great concern and in particular our discontent with the statements made by the head of the Church; statements that are dangerous and destructive.
With his positions, the Archbishop has identified with the most extreme forces in Turkey and within the Turkish Cypriot community, as well as with all those who do not want a solution to the Cyprus problem; with all those who do not want a federal solution. He has therefore done exactly the thing for which he blames others. He accuses Turkish FM Cavusoglou and blames Erdogan that they don’t want a federal solution, and eventually he has identified himself totally with them.
Whoever understands how international relations and diplomacy works, whoever realizes where the result in Crans Montana in Switzerland has led us to, cannot but be concerned about developments. And we regret to say so because I don’t see the Archbishop expressing concern about these very negative developments.
I will repeat: the United Nations are telling us that they will do nothing unless and provided that the two communities – not Turkey itself, Turkey that has been relieved of responsibilities – will, after reflecting on things, go before them with something new to request the resumption of the negotiations.
Turkish FM Cavusoglou raises the issue of resolving the Cyprus problem outside the framework of the UN.
Erdogan is speaking about a Plan B and Plan C.
In the Turkish Cypriot community, the party of the settlers, as well as Serdar Denktash and Kudret Özersay, are showing themselves to be far from a federal solution.
At the same time, in the Turkish Cypriot community a desire is growing to further consolidate the fait accompli and the occupation, and to launch a campaign for the upgrading of the pseudo-state, a development which will create new fait accompli. We see what is happening in the fenced off city of Famagusta.
And all this is going on which instead of worrying us and forcing us to see what went wrong and how to handle the issues without concessions on the issues of principles, so as to keep the hope alive for a solution to the Cyprus problem alive, instead of us not permitting any new fait accompli against Cyprus, instead of all this, we are more concerned with other less important matters.
Permit me say that certain circles and forces are playing Turkey’s game with the stand they are adopting.
AKEL has always been a patriotic party. It has always insisted on the basic principles of the solution of the Cyprus problem. It has always insisted that to solve the Cyprus problem, Turkey had to move from its intransigent and unacceptable positions.
We didn’t make it difficult for Turkey. We didn’t force it to do something such a thing that, something similar. And instead of admitting it, we flatter ourselves that we have done everything perfectly and it’s the others that bear the sole responsibility for the collapse of the procedure.
The latest developments must worry us.
The statements made by the Special Advisor on the Cyprus problem of the United Nations Secretary-General Mr. Eidé raise many questions as to what actually happened in Crans Montana. We may be damning Mr. Eide. Mr. Gutierrez, whom we all recognize as a serious political figure, as a UN Secretary-General who has brought a new approach, another philosophy, correct as regards the functioning of the Organization, expresses his unwavering support tow Mr. Eide. The UN Security Council expresses its full support and appreciation for the work done by Mr. Eide and the Head of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) Elizabeth Spahar. Therefore, it does not matter so much what we are saying here. Much more important is what will be recorded in the relevant reports to be prepared by the international community. I say this knowing that the main responsibility for all the previous years and for Crans Montana was Turkey’s attitude. I repeat, we didn’t act either in a way that would enable us to promote our desire for a solution to the Cyprus problem and we have not avoided committing mistakes.
