Excerpt from the speech by the General Secretary of AKEL A.Kyprianou on the debate on the Cyprus problem in Parliament
“There is no time left for any more regressions on the Cyprus problem”
AKEL C.C. Press Office, 19th March 2021, Nicosia
“…Some forces and circles say we should not go to the informal five-party conference in Geneva because dangers are looming. I believe that we haven’t realized the point we have reached. Turkey is proceeding with actions to colonise Varosha. If in the unfortunate event there is no positive development recorded in the informal conference, we shouldn’t have any doubt whatsoever that Turkey will proceed to the colonalisation of Varosha. It will call on Greek Cypriots, probably on its own terms, to return and thus we will have to face domestic problems as some people will start calling those who will return traitors, while others will say “you didn’t give us the prospect of resolving the Cyprus issue and we have a choice but to go back to our properties”. We will then enter into this confrontation between us.
I wonder, if we lose Morphou, if we lose Varosha and won’t be able to get them back at the negotiating table, is there anyone of us who will accept a solution to the Cyprus problem?
Do we therefore realize that if we don’t go to the conference because the conference has traps that are looming and we do have concerns, the only option left before us is the final partition of our country?
It is said we should work in a way that will make Turkey endure a cost. Many forces and circles have tried to do that. Mr. Anastasiades tried to and didn’t succeed.
The classic example is that from 19th August onwards the government has been trying to impose some substantial sanctions and it hasn’t managed to achieve anything. Two people were put on the black list. Honestly, I would like someone to tell us how we will succeed in Turkey enduring a cost? If he/she convinces me that it is possible to achieve this bearing in mind the way the modern world works, I will be the first one to step forward to achieve this cost on Turkey in order to force it to come to the negotiating table on our own terms. Unless of course certain forces and circles do want partition and I am not talking about the political parties here, some others obviously do want partition.
Will we give in to Turkey and to whatever Turkey wants?
This is another view that we frequently hear. This concern that is expressed is correct and totally justified. Under no circumstances will we give in and submit to what Turkey is demanding. We should work on the basis of all that we have committed ourselves to before the international community. That is what we say. We may not have even had to discuss them (Turkey’s demands) either had the coup d’état not preceded the invasion and subsequent occupation that continues to this day.
I repeat that being patriotic doesn’t mean engaging in sloganeering. Being patriotic means acting in a way that yields results to the benefit of your homeland.
We must remain committed to the solution of a Bi-zonal, Bi-communal Federation with political equality, as set out in the relevant Resolutions of the UN. This is the clear position of AKEL and that’s precisely why our position mustn’t be distorted by anyone.
Something else that is said is that “Will we solve the Cyprus problem with Turkey as it is?” – “Can we trust Erdogan who is so untrustworthy that he will implement what we will agree on? This view/concern is also justified.
However, what will happen if we do adopt this view and do absolutely nothing because we are afraid that what we will agree on will not be respected? We will end up adhering to the view that we are heading to the final partition of Cyprus.
AKEL on its part is not going to accept the partition of our homeland.
Do you know what partition would mean?
It would mean the assimilation of the occupied territories by Turkey.
It means a 180 kilometer border with Turkey.
It means the sell-out of a large part of our homeland to Turkey.
It means granting Turkey the right to bring as many settlers and as many troops as it wants to the occupied areas and little by little to start flirting with taking over the rest of Cyprus as well.
This is what partition means.
I will skip some things I wanted to say… AKEL since 8th December gave the President of the Republic a specific proposal on how, in our opinion, he should proceed. I will say the following very briefly as we do not negotiate in public.
We express our opinion and also say that if the President does not understand the need to make moves without going beyond “red lines”, moves that will remove Turkey’s pretexts, we will not achieve anything at the informal conference.
AKEL therefore proposed to the President of the Republic that he say that the Greek Cypriot side adheres, without any preconditions, to the agreed framework of the solution; to Bi-zonal, Bicommunal Federation with political equality as defined in the relevant Resolutions of the UN; to express the Greek Cypriot side’s readiness to continue the negotiation on the basis of the 2014 Joint Declaration, the framework of the Secretary General of the UN and the convergences that have been achieved; to reaffirm the validity of the convergences concerning political equality.
The President of the Republic should not reopen this issue (on political equality) because Turkey will seek for the Turkish side to also open other issues related to this issue. In addition, he should express our readiness to submit at the appropriate time bridging proposals on the outstanding issues regarding the Framework of the Secretary General of the UN.
As far as natural gas is concerned, AKEL we propose to the President that he should recall the convergence recorded between Christofias and Talat regarding maritime zones as constituting a federal competence. Furthermore, he should say that with the conclusion of a strategic understanding there will be no way back. We are ready to discuss issues related to the co-management of Natural Gas, to talk about the federal fund that should be set up for hydrocarbons and to clarify that after the solution of the Cyprus problem we are ready to discuss issues that also concern Turkey with regards hydrocarbons.
I would like to conclude, by saying that in our view there is no room for any further regressions on the Cyprus problem. There is no room for us to engage in any experimentations and contradictions which will only succeed in bringing us even closer to partition.
We insist on saying that the only feasible solution, the only solution in which we can meet with the Turkish Cypriots, the only solution supported by the entire international community is the solution of bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political equality, as interpreted in the relevant resolutions of the UN.
A solution in which the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Cypriot citizens will be safeguarded and guaranteed.
A solution that should be based on the resolutions of the UN, the High-Level Agreements, international and European law.
A solution that will demilitarize Cyprus and exclude any guarantees or intervention rights in the internal affairs of our country by any foreign powers.
A solution that will lead to a united state, a continuation of the Republic of Cyprus that will reunite the territory, the people, the institutions and the economy within the framework of a bi-zonal, bi-communal with a single sovereignty, a single citizenship and a single international personality.
Dear colleagues, Mr. President, this is our vision for Cyprus.
A country that will be an example for the whole world.
A modern model of harmonious coexistence of two communities of different nationality, language and religion that will co-manage their own common state.
A country that has managed to get rid of armies and that will channel all its forces and resources to social investment and economic development.
Only in this way will our people have the right to hope for a better future in a lasting and viable peace.
That is to say, when it manages to tear down and get rid of the barbed wires of division once and for all casting them in museums, when the people of Cyprus unite, to struggle again for life and dignity, to build together the Cyprus we deserve. To open the window of hope to the future. With the whole of Nicosia. With Famagusta full of life. With Kyrenia constituting our border and with the flag of a reunited Cyprus spread over the Pentadactylos mountain range instead of the flag of the pseudo-state.
As far as AKEL is concerned, if the President handles the issues correctly, we will assume our historical responsibility and back the procedure, not Mr. Anastasiades.
I will once again say to the President of the Republic that if he fails to act correctly, if he fails to remove the pretexts from Turkey and doesn’t manage to force Turkey to return to the agreed framework of the solution unfortunately he will go down in history as the leader of partition.”
