AKEL GS S.Stefanou: Partition is a springboard for new adventures for our people
12th July 2021, ‘Dialogos’ portal
Partition is a springboard for new adventures our people will suffer, the General Secretary of AKEL Stefanos Stephanou pointed out during a visit of an AKEL delegation he headed to the Cultural Centre of the Municipality of Famagusta in Deryneia, after meeting with the Mayor and members of the Municipal Council of Famagusta.
The Mayor of Famagusta Simos Ioannou said “Today we welcomed the new General Secretary of the Central Committee of AKEL Stefanos Stephanou to the Cultural Centre of the Municipality of Famagusta located so near to our beloved town and wished him every success in the very difficult task that awaits him”.
We had a very constructive discussion, the Mayor said and noted that Stefanos Stefanou “listened to our positions and concerns and then we listened to AKEL’s positions on the Cyprus problem, but mainly on the issue of Famagusta, the latest developments surrounding the enclosed city of Famagusta”.
We have received the full support of AKEL, said Simos Ioannou, first and foremost on the issue of Famagusta. He said that AKEL is on the side of the people of Famagusta and will support the just struggle of the Famagusta people to return to their city under the auspices of the United Nations.
Stefanos Stefanou has assured us, the mayor of Famagusta said, that on 19th July the forces of AKEL will be mobilised to stand by the Municipality and we shall ask the other parties to do the same.
On his part, Stefanos Stefanou said, “First of all, I would like to thank the Mayor of Famagusta and the members of the Municipal Council for receiving us today to this symbolic I would say place next to the checkpoint leading to the occupied city of Famagusta. The symbolism has its own role”.
“We wanted especially at a time when Turkey is stepping up its aggressive and provocative behaviour towards Cyprus and also towards Famagusta, seeking to flagrantly violate the resolutions of the United Nations Organisation and to create new fait accompli in the Famagusta area too. in addition to all the other fait accompli it has created in recent years in relation to the Cyprus problem, to meet with the Mayor and the municipal councilors in order to convey AKEL’s support of the struggle of the people of Varosha for their town, which is a struggle for the solution of the Cyprus problem.
Because to be honest the issue of Famagusta, as it is recorded in the relevant resolutions and decisions, has its own importance, but at the same time we must not forget that the issue of Famagusta is also part of the Cyprus problem.
And if today Turkey is doing what it is doing in the area of Famagusta, this is the because in recent years we have had an absence of negotiations and a deadlock, with Turkey being exonerated and taking advantage of this fact to impose new fait accompli and gradually taking us to the final partition of Cyprus.
AKEL has always said that partition is a springboard for new adventures for our people, which is why we told the Mayor and the Municipal Council that together with our interventions and efforts towards the international community and the United Nations to help Turkey not to go any further in the new fait accompli that it is trying to impose, at the same time we consider it is very important that the Greek Cypriot side proceed to take initiatives towards the direction of the resumption of negotiations because so long as we do not have negotiations Turkey finds the opportunity to create new fait accompli.
We have submitted a specific proposal to the President of the Republic on how we could move forward by undertaking specific initiatives so that on the one hand we could address the international actor to move in Turkey’s direction to abandon its provocative behaviour and on the other hand to create pressure on Turkey to abandon its partitionist positions and agree to resume negotiations.
No one knows whether Turkey will eventually move in the direction of a solution, even with the initiatives that the Greek Cypriot side will take, but one thing is certain: If we do not act, Turkey will certainly remain on this aggressive and provocative position, which is leading us with mathematical certainty to partition.
On the 19th of the month my dear Mayor as you have correctly said we will also participate in the event organised by the lawful inhabitants of Varosha. AKEL will call, as we have called on our people before and every year to participate in mass numbers in this event, especially this year when we have these negative developments, in order to convey the message to everyone that we do not accept the fait accompli, that we do not accept partition, that we want and will continue to struggle for a solution to the Cyprus problem which will lead to the liberation and reunification of our country within the framework of a bi-zonal, bicommunal Federation.
This must be the message that the event must convey and I believe that this message will be transmitted from the event.
The day after tomorrow, Wednesday, there is a meeting of the National Council. With our own constructive stand we will try, Mayor, to achieve the best possible outcome for Famagusta and at the same time move developments forward in relation to the sought solution”.
