An international conference must be multilateral and representative

 

Statement of Georgos Loucaides, AKEL C.C. Spokesperson

AKEL C.C. Press Office, 16th December 2015, Nicosia

Regarding yesterday’s statements by the UN Secretary-General’s Special Advisor on Cyprus Espen Barth Eide about a five-party international conference, we stress that the long-standing standing position of AKEL, but also of the Greek Cypriot side in general, is the convening of a multilateral and representative international conference.

AKEL has always upheld the position that that the international conference should deal with the international aspects of the Cyprus problem and be convened when the two sides are within reach of an agreement on the full range of the internal aspects of the Cyprus problem.

We recall that all the proposals that were submitted during the previous Christofias government by the Greek Cypriot side provided for the convening of an international conference with enlarged participation. Apart from the guarantor powers and the representatives of the two communities the presence of the Republic of Cyprus must be safeguarded. In an international conference the participation of the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and the European Union must be sought.