Speech by the General Secretary of the C.C. of AKEL Stefanos Stefanou to the special session of Parliament to denounce the coup and the invasion

 

15 July 2023, House of Representatives, Nicosia

My democratic conscience makes an off-the-text comment imperative. Last December, the House of Representatives adopted a resolution on upholding the memory of the Democratic Resistance. The resolution called on the state to abstain from engaging in any events glorifying as heroes all those who turned against the democratic legal and constitutional order. No one – let alone the President of the Republic himself – can honor those who attacked the Presidential Palace on the 15 July 1974 as heroes, especially on the anniversary of the day on which we pay tribute the democratic resistance fighters.

This is precisely what happened just a short time ago and which, in my view, is an insult to the memory of our resistance fighters and, above all, to the memory of the hero Sotiris Adamos Konstantinou, who as a “Green Beret” Commando refused to carry out the orders he was issued to attack the Presidential Palace and was subsequently murdered in cold blood. Today we honor him. How can we honor with a laurel wreath those who attacked the Presidential Palace? I consider people would like to know where the parties that voted for the resolution stand, especially all those that support the government.

Your Excellency, President of the Republic,

Madam Speaker of the House,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Let me begin this anniversary speech with a due apology. An apology to all those who have sacrificed their lives so that we can be here today in this hall, in the temple of democracy.

As political leaders, that is the least we can do: to face our truth straight in the eye. To admit the mistakes and shortcomings that led to this disaster. To transcend any partisan ego and recognise the historic opportunities for a solution of the Cyprus problem that have been presented and missed, with whatever share of responsibility one has.

This attitude of political honesty is the least we can do to honor the memory of those who gave their lives to defend freedom and democracy, as well as the independence and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus.

This is a due apology, but it is not only for our dead heroes. It is also for the refugees, the enclaved people in the occupied areas, the relatives of the missing persons, the victims of the coup and the Turkish invasion.

Because forty-nine years after the twin crimes of 1974, the Cyprus problem is at its worst phase.

Because we are confronted with the longest stalemate ever on the Cyprus problem, with Turkey exploiting the situation to impose new occupation and partitionist fait accompli.

Because, as time gnaws away at our endurance and memory, we, as the responsible political leadership of the country, have the historical responsibility to exhaust every effort to reach a solution to the problem that afflicts our people.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The sirens sounding on the anniversaries of the coup and the invasion do not only evoke painful memories of what we lived through and suffered in 1974. These sirens must also awaken our consciences because anniversaries only acquire real meaning when they stir political thought to evaluate and reflect on the past, to what preceded and followed the tragedy we experienced in 1974. Of what we did and did not do over the years. This is how we approach the black anniversaries of the coup and invasion.

From the moment the Greek junta and EOKA B of the destroyer of Cyprus, Grivas, with their coup d’état, opened the door for Turkey to invade, the occupying power has been exploiting the passage of time to consolidate the partitionist fait accompli and constantly expand them.

That a coup would beyond any doubt bring Turkey to Cyprus was well-known years before it was executed. Many statements, warnings and appeals were issued by Makarios, AKEL and others. But the extreme-right continued with its actions. This act can only be described as treasonous. References to the coup describing it as a “foolish act” or, much worse, references to “discord” and a “civil war” not only do not reflect reality, but deliberately distort it. They are an insult to the memory of those who sacrificed their lives for our country and people.

Turkey undeniably bears the main responsibility for the tragedy, for the continuation of the unacceptable occupational status quo and for the violation of international law in Cyprus. But that does not mean that we are not responsible for what happened. If that were the case, then we would come to the absurd conclusion that the tragedies we have experienced could not have been avoided. And also that it makes no difference what we plan to do from now on to lead to a solution.

It is our conviction that we could have avoided the tragedies.

We could have avoided the invasion had the traitors had not staged the coup.

We could have avoided the intercommunal clashes had certain forces and circles not undermined the independent bicommunal state established by the Zurich-London Agreements, given that they considered it a stepping stone to Enosis – union with Greece. In a similar way, of course, the ruling circles within the Turkish Cypriot community were undermining the state in order to arrive at the partition of Cyprus.

We could have avoided tragedies had, even after the inter-communal clashes, our behaviour and actions have won the trust of Turkish Cypriots by convincing them that we mean their return to the co-management of our common state. Not only did we not do so, but our actions and decisions conveyed the opposite message. The slogan and rhetoric of Enosis returned. We concealed everything that referred to the bicommunal character of our state. With this behaviour we have given Turkey arguments that are not in accordance with international law, but are nonetheless useful to promote its narrative that the Republic of Cyprus is supposedly extinct and that its name is being usurped by the Greek Cypriots.

Had intolerance, bullishness, illusions and inconsistency as to what we have agreed not prevailed, we wouldn’t have given Turkey any room to promote its plans. The plans elaborated by NATO, as agreed at the Lisbon NATO Foreign Affairs Council in 1971, would not have been fulfilled. We would not have missed opportunities to reach a solution, because opportunities have been missed, however much some people deny it.

Whenever rationalism, realism based on principles and foresight guided our decisions, we managed to repel the plans against our state and people and we managed to fulfill objectives for our Cyprus.

Ladies and gentlemen,

At the very critical crossroads we are at, on the verge of the permanent partition of Cyprus, we must draw lessons from the past.

What does this mean?

It means remaining consistent to the agreed basis for a solution of a bicommunal, bizonal federation with political equality as described in the relevant Resolutions of the UN. Those who directly or indirectly questioned or rejected the solution of Bizonal, Bicommunal Federation must reflect on the Turkish side’s attitude, which now openly rejects it.

The Turkish side’s stand has highlighted a fact what we at least on the Left have always pointed out: namely, the way things have evolved with the betrayal of 1974 that permitted Turkey to set foot in Cyprus, there aren’t many options before us for a solution to the Cyprus problem.

In reality, there is one and only one option before us and it is a dilemma:  Either the solution of Bizonal, Bicommunal Federation or partition.

There are those forces and circles who, either well-intentionally or maliciously, pose the following question: is it possible for Turkey, with such provocative behaviour, to accept a solution on the basis of Bizonal, Bicommunal Federation?

If we accept the logic that Turkey will never accept this solution, then logically we should end our efforts. Such approaches act as self-fulfilling prophecies. And as such they naturally turn the seemingly impossible into the truly unfeasible.

You create opportunities, you don’t wait for them. With rationalism and realism and without harboring any illusions. Although the anniversary session of Parliament does not lend itself to criticism, I cannot fail but point out that recent developments have shown that the one-dimensional pinning of all our efforts on the EU is not yielding any results. This is even truer in the expectations that were cultivated about NATO, which on its maps marks Cyprus with coordinates not by its very name the Republic of Cyprus, and by doing discrediting the Republic of Cyprus.

Therefore, instead of talking about supposed “milestones” for the Cyprus problem at the recent NATO summit that have already been dispelled, we must work to create momentum for a solution.

That is what we must do. By convincing the international community that we are ready to resume the negotiations from the point where they were interrupted in 2017 at Crans Montana.

That we are ready to discuss on the Guterres Framework while preserving the convergences that have been recorded so far.

This is the way to meet the position of the UN Secretary General, encouraging him to take the initiative for a continuation of the negotiations.

The effort to break the deadlock must be based on a positive agenda capable of moving Turkey without violating our “red lines”. To this end, AKEL has tabled a relevant proposal since December 2020, a proposal which has become even more topical due to the energy crisis.

It is also imperative as the Republic of Cyprus to address our Turkish Cypriot compatriots with a package of measures to support them.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Before I leave the podium, I consider it my duty to reiterate that AKEL will never compromise with partition because if we do, it would be like condemning our country to chaos. Trapped in an uncertain present, with no horizons to the future.

We don’t deserve such a miserable reality. Our young people certainly do not deserve such a reality and the future generations deserve to live in a peaceful and free country.

We owe this investment in the future to all those who shed their blood for our Cyprus. This is our pledge – to continue their struggle unwaveringly.

May the memory of the heroes of the resistance against the coup live on!

May the memory to the heroes who defended the freedom and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus live on!