AKEL on the European Commission’s Report on Turkey

Statement by AKEL C.C. Spokesperson Stefanos Stefanou

AKEL C.C. Press Office, 19 April 2018, Nicosia

The Anastasiades-DISY government, instead of reading carefully the European Commission’s Report on Turkey with regards the Cyprus problem, has – once again – followed the tactics of glorifying the situation and issuing triumphalist statements.

In the Foreign Ministry’s triumphant statement on the Commission’s report, no comment whatsoever is made about the most substantive reference to Turkey in relation to the Cyprus problem. The Report pardons Turkey of its behavior at the Crans Montana conference. In essence, the Report repeats what the UN Secretary-General says in his own Report about the support Turkey offered to the efforts of both sides, but also to the efforts of the UN Secretary-General to achieve a solution. This is what the EU High Representative stated the day before yesterday; a statement which the government carefully avoided commenting on. Why, we wonder;

With the European Commission’s Report another slap in the face was given to the narrative projected by the government and ruling forces about what happened at Crans Montana. The Report confirms that, unfortunately, in the opinion of the international community, the UN and the EU, the responsibility for the failure at Crans Montana does not lie with Turkey.

Furthermore, the EU Enlargement Strategy Paper the perception of the EU about Turkey’s positive stand is reaffirmed. What does the Document say? It underlines the importance of continuing the commitment and contribution with specific conditions of Turkey to the talks for the achievement of a just, comprehensive and viable solution to the Cyprus problem within the framework of the United Nations.

The Cyprus problem is at a very critical point after the failure at Crans Montana. The government must understand that the deadlock on the Cyprus problem, accompanied by Turkey’s exoneration and pardoning for the failure of the Crans Montana conference, is very dangerous. The communication management for internal consumption purposes may suit the government and ruling forces, but it does not address the dangers.

What is imperative is that the President of the Republic with continuity and consistency should work for the resumption of the negotiations on the framework set out by the UN Secretary-General. The Turkish Cypriot leader Mr. Akinci, has the same historical responsibility to do the same.

This historical responsibility must be assumed by both of them. This is what the UN Secretary General has repeatedly stated so many times, even yesterday through his representative.