AKEL on the UN Secretary General’s Reports

 

 

5 July 2023, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia

The two reports submitted by the Secretary General of the UN concerning the Good Offices and United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) confirm for the umpteenth time the tragic situation in which the Cyprus problem has found itself after the collapse of the Crans Montana conference on Cyprus. Mr. Guterres underlines, inter alia, that the continued absence of substantive dialogue continues to widen the gap both with regards how the two sides will move forward, as well as between the two communities. However, while the Secretary General correctly notes that the positions of the two sides are far apart, he avoids mentioning that the Turkish Cypriot leadership’s positions for sovereign equality and equal international status – to be put it simply a two state solution – are in flagrant violation of the agreed framework for negotiating and resolving the Cyprus problem.

The UN Secretary General correctly points out that the appointment of a special envoy would represent an important step in the effort for a resumption of the negotiation procedure leading to a solution of the Cyprus problem.  However, he once again does not mention that the obstacle to this effort is Tatar and Ankara.

Mr. Guterres’ position that the work of the Technical Committees and the positive impact of Confidence Building Measures in building trust [between the two communities] is important and absolutely correct, but only real progress in the effort for a resumption of meaningful and result-oriented talks will convince Cypriots and foreigners that a peaceful future on the island is feasible.

The concern expressed by the Secretary General about the ongoing developments in the fenced off area of Varosha and the need to comply with the relevant provisions of UN Security Council Resolutions 550 and 789 was to be expected.  However, bearing in mind that if Famagusta is colonalised, this would mean the end of any hopes for a solution to the Cyprus problem, there should have been an urgent call issued for an end to and the withdrawal of the Turkish machinations in the occupied city.

For the umpteenth time, Mr. Guterres recalls that natural gas is and must be used as a strong incentive for a solution to the Cyprus problem. It is a message that we hope will lead President Christodoulides to make second thoughts, who during the presentation of the 100 days [of his administration] has in effect rejected this approach, which is also included in the well-known proposal AKEL submitted.

 

The assurance of the UN Secretary General that he himself is guided by the relevant Security Council Resolutions that also set out the parameters of the UN is self-evident but also of paramount importance, especially now that Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side are putting forward positions that clash head-on with the agreed framework. It is on these Resolutions and parameters that the President of the Republic needs to stand steadfast on to convince that he means it in practice when he correctly says that he wants a resumption of the negotiating procedure from where he had remained at Crans Montana, with the Guterres convergences and Framework. Only then can we hope for an abandonment of the out of place and time position of the Turkish Cypriot leadership and Ankara for a two state solution.