Specific questions arise from the President’s interview with ”Fileleftheros”

  

Statement by AKEL C.C. Spokesperson Giorgos Koukoumas

26 July 2021, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia

As long as President Anastasiades insists on finding nothing wrong with his handling of the Cyprus problem, things will get worse and worse. The President’s interview with “Fileleftheros” newspaper raises specific questions.

1. The President’s narrative on what happened in 2017 at the Crans Montana conferences, which he is still adamant on, is not being adopted by the international community and the Greek Cypriot community’s credibility is suffering internationally. This was admitted in an interview given yesterday by the Greek Cypriot negotiator himself, Mr. Mavroyiannis, even though he too insists on Anastasiades’ narrative. Why is this happening and who is responsible?
2. For four years now, the President and the government have not said a word about the UN Secretary General’s Report after the collapse at Crans Montana, in which Turkey is praised and equal responsibilities are assigned on both communities. Why did the President not challenge the Report for so many years and why has he remembered it now? The President, who apparently prefers to clash with the UN Secretary General, must reply to the following question: where else on the planet will Cyprus turn to for the Cyprus problem if not to the UN?
3. Why is President Anastasiades not telling the whole truth about the map on territory? The map which included, among other things, Famagusta under Greek Cypriot administration, was withdrawn by the Turkish Cypriot side because Mr. Anastasiades had previously withdrawn the convergence agreed for a single positive vote and effective participation.

Various “recipes” were tried by President Anastasiades and none of them prevented the new fait accompli by the occupying power Turkey. It is incomprehensible to abandon our efforts while the Erdogan-Tatar duo is plotting and promoting our country’s partition. AKEL’s position was and is that in the face of Turkish aggression and the shameless demand for a two state solution, the Greek Cypriot side must convincingly and decisively project its consistency for a solution on the agreed basis and framework, for the resumption of talks from the point where they had remained at Crans Montana in 2017.