Concerns over the statements of UN Secretary-General on the developments in Cyprus
Statement by Georgos Loucaides, AKEL C.C. Press Spokesperson
AKEL C.C. Press Office, 24th October 2014, Nicosia
AKEL expresses its concern about the content of the statement of the United Nations Secretary-General, given that it focuses exclusively on the need to resume the negotiations, shifting in essence the pressure on the Greek Cypriot side and not on Turkey which bears the sole responsibility for the suspension of the negotiations.
At the same time, through the position of the German Foreign Ministry an attempt was made to keep a balance between Turkey’s aggressiveness and the Republic of Cyprus defending itself, given that whilst recognising our sovereign rights in the Cyprus Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), it calls for the continuation of the talks and the unobstructed opening of Turkey’s accession chapters.
Regretfully, judging from the reactions so far it is obvious that we have not managed to channel the diplomatic efforts of the United Nations and Cyprus’ supposedly strategic partners but also EU partners, towards halting Turkey’s provocative and aggressive actions and lifting the faits accomplis it is formulating in the EEZ of the Republic of Cyprus.
The huge importance Ankara’s well-known friends and allies carry on attaching to Turkey in order to serve their selfish interests of course continues to play a significant role in explaining this subdued stance demonstrated so far by our supposedly partners and the non-balanced reaction of the UN.
However, on the other hand, the government’s options and policies, as a result of the one-dimensional foreign policy it has chosen to follow, but also its unfortunate handling and tactics at the talks so far, which exposes us at best as jointly responsible for the widening of the gap and stagnation that is being observed, are also responsible for this development.
Consequently, we urge the government once again to change course both with regards the negotiations and Cyprus’ foreign policy as the only way to regain our political-diplomatic shielding in the face of Turkey’s provocativeness and intransigence.
