Anastasiades’ delaying tactics on the Cyprus problem will lead to tragic consequences for our country and people
Statement by Yiorgos Loucaides, Parliamentary Representative AKEL-Left-New Forces
AKEL C.C. Press Office, 18 June 2018, Nicosia
From the UN Secretary-General’s draft Report, it is confirmed that after the elections in Turkey, an envoy of his will explore whether or not the conditions for a resumption of the negotiation procedure have matured. Faced with this development, the President of the Republic, even now, must focus on how the correct conditions will be created for the negotiations to resume.
Instead of doing so, in the government’s first reaction, the government spokesman is trying to justify the unjustifiable by insisting on the well-known Anastasiades narrative with regards both the Crans Montana conference and its subsequent stand. However, a simple reading of the Report is sufficient to conclude that the UN Secretary-General insists on his own interpretation of the events, which clash with the narrative put forth by Anastasiades.
The main part of the Report is the position of the UN Secretary-General as to what needs to be done so that the negotiation procedure can resume. More specifically, it reiterates that the continuation of the procedure from where it had remained on the basis of the 30th June framework represents an essential precondition, as well as the cross negotiation of the six key issues with a view to reaching a strategic agreement that, if achieved, will pave the way for a comprehensive solution.
It is evident from the Report that the UN Secretary-General has not been convinced that the President is ready to proceed in the way mentioned above. That is why he calls on the two leaders to regain the sense of urgency, restore the lost trust and send out clear messages of political will.
Therefore instead of the Presidential Palace trying to hide the dimension with the Secretary-General, both about all that occurred and what needs to be done, it must send out the clear message of political will that Mr. Guterres calls for and declare its readiness to proceed in the manner prescribed in the Report, without terms and conditions. If it does, then the way to resume the negotiation procedure is paved. If, however, it continues the delaying tactics it is pursuing since by Crans Montana and afterwards, the Secretary-General will not be convinced to go ahead and the consequences for the country and the people will be tragic.
