The Cyprus problem needs seriousness in its assertion – Article by Aristos Damianou, AKEL Political Bureau

 

 

Friday 30 December 2022, “Haravgi” newspaper

The outgoing government is the government characterised by political deficiencies, with their abject failure to correctly handle our national issue, the Cyprus problem.

They inherited a solid body of work [from the negotiations]. We reached the last mile in the efforts to solve the Cyprus problem. We witnessed a map [tabled at the talks] with a deviation of only half a percentage point on the territorial issue. It was then that Nikos Anastasiades, instead of staying at Mont Pelerin and asserting the rest of Morphou, lied and left on the spot.

We are being handed over a country where, thanks to the hardening of Turkish intransigence and provocative actions, the nightmare scenario of a two state solution is being tabled officially on the negotiating table. The commercial exploitation of the enclosed area and colonisation of Varosha, as well as the systematic violation of the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Republic of Cyprus are being implemented.

In truth, how comfortable is former Anastasiades Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides with the absence of proper political judgements he made back then? At the same time, Turkey the occupying power is relieved of responsibilities, due to the Greek Cypriot community’s loss of credibility because of the experimentations and expediencies of Mr. Anastasiades, assisted politically by Nikos Christodoulides and the leader of the ruling DISY party Averof Neofytou.

All three have unfortunately put the county and the quest for power over and above Cyprus. That is precisely why they are today engaged in in-fighting amongst themselves… Not about the existence of any different policies between them, but about who will implement them more aggressively.

We are on the brink of the permanent partition of Cyprus. We are at the most critical point that the Cyprus problem could be at. During the whole 5-year term of office of the Anastasiades-DISY government no substantive political efforts for the resumption of the talks were made. Nothing but a downward slide with Turkey exonerated and the government completely in the dark. It is no coincidence that DISY President A.Neophytou, during the debate on the state budgets in Parliament, devoted just one and a half minutes of his 40-minutes long speech to the Cyprus problem…

I have been following with great attention the statements made by the leaders of DIKO, EDEK and DYPA. Nor has it been made clear precisely what policy N.Christodoulides will pursue as their presidential candidate [on the Cyprus problem]. DIKO leader N.Papadopoulos has spoken of the need for a ‘strategic review’ and, as we know, DIKO rejects the Guterres Framework. DYPA leader M.Karoyan called the Guterres Framework the starting point for talks. EDEK leader M.Sizopoulos criticised the body of work of the talks, whereas – as everyone knows – the EDEK party congress position considers the solution of bicommunal, bizonal federation to be the worst form of legalised partition. So much so that in a public post the Solidarity movement leader E. Theocharous, the fourth party supporting the candidacy of N.Christodoulides, has reminded us of the undiminished objective of Enosis – union with Greece.

We honestly wonder whether N.Christodoulides, if elected, will refer the sought solution to the impasse resolution mechanism, namely the “coordinating body” invented by N. Chriodoulides to discuss any differences between the contrasting forces supporting him?

Will they take decisions on their differences by qualified majority or will a positive vote from each party be required for decisions to be taken?

Finally, does Nikos Christodoulides have his own position on the Cyprus problem or will he be a multiple choice President because of the influences from DRASIS-KES [ultra-nationalist student faction]?

Let’s face the truth. The Cyprus problem needs seriousness and steadfastness in its assertion, based on the agreed framework for a solution. An assertion on the basis of principles, not experimentations that have damaged the cause of the solution.

And of course, neither Cyprus in NATO nor NATO in Cyprus…