“On the international conference” Article by Stefanos Stefanou, member of the Political Bureau of AKEL

Article by Stefanos Stefanou, member of the Political Bureau of AKEL

Wednesday, 18th January 2017

The first party that talked about an internal and international aspect of the Cyprus problem was AKEL.

When other political forces were arguing over whether we should be in talks with the Turkish Cypriot community or whether our interlocutor should have been Turkey, AKEL stressed that the internal aspect of the Cyprus problem will be resolved through negotiations between the two communities and the international aspect, that is the question of security and guarantees, will be resolved at an international conference.

AKEL’s position is that Cyprus, as a member state of the UN and the EU, does not need guarantees and guarantors. The solution of the international aspect of the Cyprus problem should provide for the termination of the 1960 system of guarantees. As far as the security system is concerned, AKEL always underlined that the solution should provide for the complete withdrawal of the occupying troops and for the demilitarization of Federal Cyprus. AKEL supports that the whole of the island must eventually be demilitarized and that the British bases should be abolished.

The issue of demilitarization was raised during the negotiations between Christofias and Talat and certain political forces (not AKEL) responded negatively, both within and outside the National Council (Note: advisory body to the given President of the Republic composed of all parliamentary parties and former Presidents).

Apart from the framework of the solution of the international aspect, AKEL always stressed that:

1. Any security system to be decided must be under the auspices of the UN Security Council. AKEL made it clear in all directions that it will not support any solution whatsoever that includes any role for NATO. And because everyone acknowledges that without AKEL’s support, the solution cannot be approved by the people, those inside and outside of Cyprus flirting with NATO solutions were forced to retreat. Consequently, the accusations or insinuations against AKEL and its leadership about NATO solutions by belated and non anti-NATO forces should be addressed somewhere else. I recall that certain circles and forces who today are shouting about NATO’s role in the tragedy of Cyprus, in 2011 voted in the House of Representatives for Cyprus’ accession to the NATO program “Partnership for Peace”.

2. The position of AKEL is that the UN Security Council must provide the guarantees for the implementation of the solution. It is with satisfaction that we have heard the UN Secretary General UN refer in a positive way to this specific issue.
3. The composition and form of conducting the international conference is of importance. It is also important that the Republic of Cyprus is present at an international conference, that the illegal pseudo-state shouldn’t be upgraded and that the possibility is not provided to third parties to impose solutions that are not acceptable. It matters who will decide and who will sign the agreement on the international aspects of the Cyprus problem.
4. AKEL dialectically guided by its Congress decision with regards the international conference, submitted a concrete proposal to the President of the Republic. Our proposal met the criteria set by the Party and at the same time overcame the problems caused by Turkey’s persistent refusal to recognize the Republic of Cyprus and, therefore, to sit at the same table with it.
5. The President of the Republic decided to pursue a different path. He is the one that decides on the Cyprus problem and he is the one that is being judged. AKEL, maintaining its views, did not stand against the President’s proposal, considering that nonetheless we could have proceeded. The conference for Cyprus took place, the Republic of Cyprus was not downgraded, nor was the illegal pseudo-state upgraded as certain circles and forces had forcefully insisted.
6. The dialectic approach of AKEL on the issue of the conference confirmed once again the Party’s responsibility and seriousness, which manages at the time of developments to identify the essence, to be flexible without violating the positions of principles it adheres to. Some evidently cannot understand this or pretend that they do not understand it.
7. Geneva has ended and the negotiations are continuing. Our task is to focus on the negotiations. That is where everything will be judged, including Turkey’s will as well.
8. The steadfast enduring goal of AKEL is to achieve a solution that will liberate and reunite the country and the people within the framework of a bizonal, bicommunal federation, as agreed by the two communities since 1977.
9. If and provided that we reach an agreed solution, AKEL will evaluate the content of the solution and decide accordingly at an extraordinary Party Congress on the position it will take.