Illegal regime’s intention to impose customs duties unacceptable and condemnable
Statement by AKEL C.C. Spokesperson Stefanos Stefanou
AKEL C.C Press Office, 4th October 2017, Nicosia
From what we have been informed, the unacceptable and condemnable intention of the illegal regime in the occupied territories today to charge customs duties on the aid sent to the Greek Cypriot enclaved people in the occupied areas has caused problems as regards the delivery of this assistance. Foods have not been allowed to pass into the occupied areas to reach the enclaved people.
We want to denounce this unacceptable stand of the illegal pseudo-government, which, inter alia, is also causing problems of a humanitarian nature that have to do with the assistance the enclaved people receive from the Cypriot state and which is essential so that they can continue as much as possible – even in conditions of occupation – their subsistence.
We must point out that this stand of the illegal regime constitutes an act that is seriously harming the trust between the two communities, also seriously damaging the prospect of a solution to the Cyprus problem and adds even more problems to the existing ones being caused and perpetuated by the Turkish occupation in Cyprus.
I also want to say that this situation, like many other problems with the occupation, highlights the necessity of continuing the efforts to achieve a solution that will end the occupation, liberate our country and people, reunify Cyprus because only with the termination of the occupation will the Republic of Cyprus be able to exercise effective control over its entire territory and such problems, which, I repeat the occupation provokes, will come to an end.
Questions and replies:
Has your party contacted Turkish Cypriot parties of the same ideological spectrum that are in line with the views you have just expressed?
SS: I must tell you that such actions by the illegal regime or/and by other powers in the occupied territories, which undermine and counter the prospect of the solution of the Cyprus problem, always find a reaction on the part of the progressive forces of the occupied territories, Turkish-Cypriot political parties and organized groups, that denounce such actions and demand their termination.
We are in contact with the progressive parties of the Turkish Cypriots, we know that they are reacting, trying to put an end to such acts by the illegal regime, and we will continue to build on this and cooperate together in order to promote the policy of rapprochement, but also to promote all that must be promoted on the one hand to build trust between the two Cypriot communities and, most importantly, to promote the prospect of solving the Cyprus problem because as we have said without a solution of the Cyprus problem these problems and many more will continue to exist.
