The General Secretary of AKEL A. Kyprianou replies to journalists’ questions at the end of the meeting with the Turkish Cypriot Communal Democracy Party (TDP)
AKEL C.C. Press Office, 31st May 2017, Nicosia
Asked if there is scope for negotiations, the General Secretary of AKEL replied:
AK: I will be very brief by saying that there is indeed a difficulty at the moment, a difficulty that is causing serious problems to the whole procedure.
I totally agree with what TDP leader Cemal Ozyigit said that what is demanded right now is the existence of political will. This is not the first time that we are encountering serious problems in the procedure. Problems are always overcome through the demonstration of political will. What I say concerns both leaders. I will conclude by saying that if one side thinks that it will impose its own views on the other, then we will never reach an agreement.
There is the agreed framework and it is on this basis that the discussions should be conducted.
In reply to another question whether the attacks on the UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Cyprus Espen Barth Eide by President Anastasiades help, the General Secretary of AKEL said:
AK: I will reply with what Mr. Anastasiades himself was telling his critics in the past – that even if you have disagreements with the UN Secretary-General’s Representative in Cyprus, you don’t make them public, especially with regards an issue which, in our view, we must be very careful about.
What do I mean? Turkey is issuing threats about the drilling due to commence in July. Shouldn’t there be a logical reflection about what preventive measures will be taken? I repeat that we have two concrete examples, which should guide us. In 2011, when Demetris Christofias was reaffirming his daily will for waging substantive negotiations for a solution to the Cyprus problem, Turkey could not realize its threats. In 2014, when Mr. Anastasiades was indulging in tactical games and maneuvers, the Turkish exploratory vessel “Barbaros” was roaming freely on the southern coasts of Cyprus.
Therefore, these issues must not be underestimated. While rejecting Turkey’s threats, we must take measures so that these threats can’t be carried out, and the effort for a solution to the Cyprus problem contributes towards this end.
