On the position of the DIKO President and the apparent change in the position of candidate Nikos Christodoulides for a change in strategy and the abandonment of the Guterres Framework.

 

AKEL: Any regression and backtracking by the Greek Cypriot side only facilitates Turkey’s plans

The two DISY candidates with their positions are opening a Pandora’s Box

Statements by AKEL C.C. Press Spokesperson Giorgos Koukoumas

Sunday 3 July 2022, “Haravgi’ newspaper

AKEL C.C. Spokesperson Giorgos Koukoumas, stressed to ‘Haravgi’ newspaper that what is needed is consistency and credibility in the strategy of the solution of the Cyprus problem and not a change of strategy! Against the partitionist demands of the Erdogan-Tatar duo, he AKEL Spokesperson added, we must project the Greek Cypriot side’s convincing commitment to the agreed basis and framework for a solution of the Cyprus problem, to the resumption of the talks from the point where they were interrupted in 2017 at Crans Montana on the basis of the Guterres Framework and all the convergences that have been recorded so far. This is what, provided that it is achieved, can nullify in practice Turkey’s plans to finalise partition.

Koukoumas went on to say that common sense, but also experience shows that any regressions and backtracking by the Greek side or its departure from the agreed framework simply makes it easier for Turkey to harden its stance and permits it not to be held responsible by the international community. The results of the handlings made by the Anastasiades-DISY government should have convinced everyone. The calls that were issued for “other strategies”, for the imposition of “sanctions that will bring Turkey to its knees” and for the forging of alliances with the USA, Israel and so on which would supposedly “shield Cyprus and isolate Turkey” have been refuted and disproved repeatedly. AKEL C.C. Spokesperson underlined that, “We don’t have the luxury of having any more illusions”.

The position of AKEL and of the independent presidential candidate Andreas Mavroyiannis, Giorgos Koukoumas added, is absolute consistency to the basis of the solution and the body of work that has been agreed to date at the negotiations on the Cyprus problem and, in addition, the need for initiatives to be assumed by the Greek Cypriot side in this direction.

AKEL C.C. Spokesperson pointed out that “the positions expressed by the two DISY candidates (Averof Neophytoy and Nikos Christodoulides) are opening Pandora’s Box. Averof Neophytou is now openly advocating Cyprus’ membership of NATO, a position which, apart from anything else, clashes with and violates the declared position adopted by the Greek Cypriot side, but also the parameters of the Guterres Framework as regards the country’s post-solution security system.

On his part, G.Koukoumas noted, Nikos Christodoulides, negating what he has been proclaiming for so many years, now refuses to refer to the Guterres Framework as the basis for negotiations, and the reference to political equality between the two communities as set out in the Resolutions of the UN, which is an essential part of the basis for a solution to the Cyprus problem, has been surgically removed from his OWN declarations. So three main candidates, two choices.

The AKEL C.C. Spokesperson in conclusion stressed that despite the fact there are three main presidential candidates (Averof Neophytoy, Nikos Christodoulides and Andreas Mavroyiannis) in reality there are only two choices (the two DISY member candidates on the one hand and the candidacy of Andreas Mavroyiannis)>