The President’s handlings on the Cyprus problem leave the Greek Cypriot side exposed

The General Secretary of AKEL A.Kyprianou replies to the government on the Cyprus problem

AKEL C.C. Press Office, 24 September 2018, Nicosia

I am confident that the Government Spokesman Mr. Prodromou knows the Greek language very well and I would advise him to reply to what we say, not by fabricating our positions so as to convey to society the messages that suit him.

AKEL repeatedly stresses that Turkey bears the main responsibility for the continuing stalemate in which the Cyprus problem finds itself and the illogical demands it had always put forth. At the same time, we say that President Anastasiades’ handling in recent times not only does not complicate things for Turkey, but facilitates them. Worst of all is that its manipulations render the possibility of reaching an agreement on the Cyprus problem distant. And I’ll explain what I mean.

At Crans Montana in our view, Mr. Anastasiades had the opportunity either to force Turkey to accept the positions of the UN Secretary-General and to reach an agreement or to expose it. He didn’t succeed in doing one or the other. On the contrary, he exposed the Greek Cypriot side, based on the facts as recorded by the UN Secretary-General in the subsequent reports submitted.

Today, fifteen whole months after the Crans Montana conference, Mr. Anastasiades concludes that preparation for the negotiations to resume is needed and is referring to specific issues.

Well, didn’t he know during these fifteen months that the relevant preparation should have been done?

Why did he wait just a few days before the meeting with Mr. Guterres?

He knew the significance of this meeting. He knew how decisive it would be as regards the resumption of the negotiations. He has done nothing during all this 15 month period and on the eve of the meeting with the Secretary-General he is now coming out to state that preparations should have been made.

The very simple question that emerges is why didn’t he do this preparation?

Who prevented him from doing the necessary preparations so that we would now be ready for a resumption of the negotiations?

Mr. Anastasiades calls for certain things to be met which in any case are demanded by the Secretary-General of the United Nations. Mr. Guterres says that for me to accept the resumption of negotiations on the substance, the Guterres framework, which is very specific as to what it mentions, must be accepted. It refers to the territorial issue. Let me remind you that there was a debate in Geneva and a convergence on territory had almost been recorded. Mr. Guterres says that all the convergences that have been achieved so far and the convergence are valid and he also says that the informal document on the implementation of the solution musrt be accepted. These things should have safeguarded us on the substance of the issues. We should be covered by the positions of the UN Secretary-General and let Turkey either be exposed or obliged to comply with those demands that will lead to what we call a natural state or a normal state.

I regret to note that the rhetoric conveyed by the government gives room to certain forces and circles to accuse us. I will repeat that for some months now something has been hovering in the atmosphere that may not have been expressed officially, but is hovering around, namely that some people are thinking of abandoning bi-zonal, bi-communal federation and seeking another solution.

We say that these are nothing but adventurist experimentations that will cause irreparable damage to Cyprus and the Cypriot people. I will conclude by saying this. What AKEL is saying today is what it was also saying three or four years ago. Back then, Mr. Anastasiades was saying that AKEL is a patriotic party. Today he is accusing us of strengthening the Turkish Cypriot side’s intransigence.

Everyone can draw their conclusions.