The struggle against imperialist machinations and chauvinism
The deadlock in the armed struggle allowed the imposition of the London-Zurich Agreements. AKEL disagreed with the Zurich Agreements because it considered that they perpetuated imperialist presence on the island, putting Cyprus under the guardianship of the guarantor powers and that they imposed a divisive constitution. We advised Makarios not to sign the agreements, to terminate the armed struggle and unite the people to continue the struggle for real independence. Unfortunately AKELs proposals were not accepted.
The London-Zurich Agreements created a new situation, which AKEL approached in a creative manner. Sticking to its positions on the agreements it concluded that independence even in a curtailed form constituted a gain of the Cypriot people of historical importance. By taking this position AKEL defined as the main task in the new stage of struggle the fight for the completion of Cypriot independence and the gradual liberation from the negative elements of the Zurich agreements. This duty was included in the new programme of the Party which was adopted by the 10th Congress of AKEL in 1962. The new programme underlined the need for Cyprus to follow a non-aligned foreign policy. It also put forward the goals of democratization of the political and social life, the development of the economy and the living and cultural level of the working people. AKEL fought and achieved a lot for the implementation of these goals during the years of independence.
The Cyprus Republic from the very outset faced many difficulties and adverse complications. The expansionist designs of Ankara and the NATO plans for the transformation of Cyprus into an unsinkable aircraft carrier of the Atlantic Alliance in the Eastern Mediterranean, threatened the very existence of the independent Cyprus Republic. On the internal front of the country significant forces within the Greek Cypriot community as well as within the Turkish Cypriot community did not believe in independence. They saw it as a temporary stage the former as a stage towards enosis (Union with Greece) and the latter as a stage towards partition. That is the reason why there was not the necessary effort that should have been made so that the agreements would function despite all of its negative elements. This approach weakened the resistance front of our people and helped foreign interventions and the plans of the enemies of Cyprus. After the bi-communal clashes of December 1963 Cyprus was waging a fight for survival. The revival of the Slogan of Enosis during the 1964-1967 years was a great mistake which was exploited by the enemies of Cyprus.
The decade 1964-1974 was a decade of fight for the repulsion of foreign plots and for the defence of the independence and unity of the Cyprus Republic. AKEL was the main political force which stood by President Makarios with consistency and unselfishness, supporting his policy for the repulsion of the double enosis forces and of the partitionist designs. Our Party used its brotherly relations which it had with the governing parties of the socialist states to secure reliable allies of Cyprus in the difficult times. AKEL also supported the non-aligned foreign policy of the Cyprus Republic. Cyprus managed to repulse the NATO plans due to the entire mobilization of our people and also thanks to international solidarity and support, especially that of the socialist community and the Non-Aligned Movement. In the struggle for the defence of independence AKEL and the Peoples Movement made sacrifices. Amongst the dead was Michalakis Kousoulides member of the C.C. of EDON (the youth organization of AKEL).
Even during the most critical times of the bi-communal clashes AKEL did not stop fighting for the solution to the problems in the relations between the two communities through dialogue, for their peaceful existence, friendship, mutual respect and cooperation between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. Our Party from the outset was a fighter against nationalism-chauvinism. At the altar of friendship and cooperation of the two communities Dervis Ali Kavazoglou Turkish Cypriot member of the C.C. of AKEL and Costas Mishaoulis Greek Cypriot cadre of AKEL and PEO gave their lives. Their sacrifice became a symbol of struggle for rapprochement and for a Cyprus common homeland for all Cypriots.