Statements by the General Secretary of the C.C. of AKEL Stefanos Stefanou after the meeting with the Ambassador of the Russian Federation in Cyprus, Mr. Osadchiy

 

2 August 2021, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia

“The Ambassador of the Russian Federation in Cyprus, Mr. Osadchiy, visited us today to offer his congratulations on my election as General Secretary of the Party. On the occasion of our meeting, we discussed the latest developments surrounding the Cyprus problem, given the role played by the Russian Federation as a permanent member of the Security Council of the UN, but also as a long-standing supporter of the solution of the Cyprus problem on the basis of the Resolutions of the UN and as an enduring supporter of the Republic of Cyprus. With Mr. Osadchiy we shared the anguish and concern about the ongoing absence of a negotiating procedure and deadlock on the Cyprus problem, as well as about the prospects with regards the Cyprus problem.

Mr. Osadchiy reiterated the Russian Federation’s position for a solution to the Cyprus problem based on a bizonal, bi-zonal federation with political equality, which we certainly agree with.

Mr. Osadchiy and I agreed to stay in touch, as AKEL is in contact with all the important players involved in the Cyprus problem and, above all, with the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.”

On the Cyprus problem

“As far as the Cyprus problem is concerned, I must point out that in the last resolution we avoided the worst of the machinations that were made in relation to the solution. We note this fact with satisfaction. But, at the same time, we also stress the fact that, since the absence of any negotiation procedure continues, this situation leaves room for the continuation of machinations in relation to the basis for a solution to the Cyprus problem, but also in relation to Turkey’s provocative and illegal

machinations, which is trying to exploit the situation and absence of negotiations seeking to consolidate the partition in Cyprus.

We would like to underline that, as things stand today, there is no prospect of a resumption of the negotiations, given that Turkey insists on the recognition of sovereign equality as a precondition for the resumption of negotiations.

On the other hand, we note with dissatisfaction the fact that the President of the Republic is not taking any specific initiative towards the resumption of negotiations in a way that is first and foremost convincing in relation to his own will to resume negotiations from the point at which they were interrupted at Crans Montana. The fact is that the Greek Cypriot side has a deficit with regards its credibility. It is something that close associates of the President of the Republic also point out. The President’s insistence on promoting confidence-building measures, which are not even recorded in the UN Secretary General’s report, simply perpetuates the negotiating vacuum that suits Turkey and all those forces and circles who want to promote partition in Cyprus.

We again call on the President of the Republic to take concrete initiatives in the direction that the United Nations is saying. That is to say:

1. To be convincing in relation to his position for a resumption of the negotiations from the point where they were interrupted at Crans Montana, bringing back convergences he himself had withdrawn, first and foremost the convergence recorded on political equality.

2. The President of the Republic must respond positively to what the UN Secretary General himself says about turning hydrocarbons into a catalyst for a solution. We have handed him a proposal for this since last December. A proposal that, in our view, can work in the direction that the UN Secretary General requests, without crossing our “red lines”.

The President’s insistence that he has done all that he had to do, simply offers Turkey the possibility to play games on the Cyprus problem and at the same time, leaves room for all those forces/circles who are promoting various ideas that are dangerous for the solution of the Cyprus problem. So, regardless of Turkey’s negative and provocative stance, the President must realise that he has a role to play and he should play it in the direction that the United Nations is saying.”