The President must expresses his readiness to continue the negotiations from where they had remained at Crans Montana on the basis of Mr. Guterres’ Framework and preserving the convergences

AKEL C.C. Spokesperson Stefanos Stefanou on Turkey’s provocative actions

AKEL C.C. Press Office, 9 July 2019, Nicosia

Turkey is stepping up its provocations and illegal actions in the Cypriot Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) with the activity of the Turkish drilling ship “Yavuz”. It is clear that Turkey will continue to exploit the prolonged stalemate on the Cyprus problem to create new serious fait accompli on the ground and in the waters.

We denounce Turkey’s illegal actions. The government must continue to call for practical support from the international community in its efforts to address Turkey’s provocative actions.

At the same time, the government must undertake specific and, above all, convincing initiatives to promote the goal which the international community points to as the way out of the tension created by Turkey. The goal must be the resumption of negotiations to conclude the effort that began in 2008 in order to reach an overall solution to the Cyprus problem. Within the framework of these initiatives, it is imperative that the President of the Republic addresses the UN Secretary General and expresses his readiness to continue the negotiations from the point where they had remained at Crans Montana on the basis of Mr. Guterres’ Framework and by preserving the convergences.

This is the UN Secretary General’s position which our side must be fully and clearly in line with. It is through the negotiations which, of course, for them to start Turkey must end its provocations in the Cypriot EEZ, that we can reach a solution which will constitute the solid basis for solving the problems that Turkey is raising as a pretext to create tension and dangers.