Both leaders must respect their pledge and end public statements that cause unnecessary complications, confusion and confrontations
Statement by Stefanos Stephanou, AKEL C.C. Spokesperson
AKEL C.C. Press Office, 18th October 2016, Nicosia
The coming weeks will be decisive for the Cyprus problem. The outcome of the forthcoming discussion on the territorial issue will to a large degree determine the fate of the current negotiation procedure, which has been ongoing for eight years now.
AKEL considers that in these critical hours all the political forces must make every possible effort to achieve the ultimate goal, which is none other than the solution of our political problem, based of course on principles and the agreed framework.
The two leaders have recently made a pledge not to issue any public statements that could cause damage to the negotiation procedure. Particularly during this extremely sensitive period both of the two leaders must respect their pledge and end public statements that cause unnecessary complications, confusion and confrontations.
The President of the Republic must in this phase give priority to the formal and full briefing of the political parties. Certainly the people must be informed at the right time. If eventually we manage to reach a solution sufficient time should be given so that everyone can freely express their views. The last word will belong to the citizens themselves because they, and no one else, will decide in a referendum whether they reject or accept the overall solution.
