AKEL on the results of yesterday’s NATO Summit

 

12 July 2023, AKELK C.C. Press Office, Nicosia

Yesterday’s NATO Summit ended with Turkey agreeing to Sweden’s membership in NATO, given that it had first secured significant rewards in exchange.

What should be of concern is that despite the fact that yesterday’s summit was described by President Christodoulides as a landmark in the effort underway for a resumption of the talks, the Republic of Cyprus in essence gained nothing. In this respect, the expectations that were raised that had been cultivated for tangible results arising from yesterday’s summit were not vindicated. What Turkey took it got without undertaking any commitment whatsoever in relation to Cyprus. Consequently, the second “landmark” on the Cyprus problem had the same fate as the first one.

In the light of the above developments, a serious reflection must be made on the Greek Cypriot side’s next steps. AKEL insists that the only way to put pressure on Turkey to resume talks is our own consistency and commitment to the effort for the resumption of negotiations from the point where they were interrupted at Crans Montana on the basis of the Framework of the Secretary General of the UN. It is also imperative that a positive agenda is formulated to give incentives Turkey so that it demonstrates a constructive spirit and cooperates for the achievement of a just, viable and workable solution, for the liberation and reunification of our homeland.