The two leaders mustn’ t play the game of the nationalists. Now isn’t the time for petty-political pursuits
Interview with the General Secretary of the C.C. of AKEL in the weekly newspaper “Kathimerini” 19/02/2017
-Has the issue with the Enosis referendum and the dimensions it has taken got to do with the Turkish Cypriot’s overreaction?
– With regards the decision of the House of Representatives itself, given that an attempt is underway to misrepresent reality, I would like to clarify that the Enosis referendum is included in the curriculum of our schools and is taught. What was approved by the House of Representatives is that the Enosis referendum is commemorated and that the policy of the union of Cyprus with Greece, is to be honoured. If this does not constitute political schizophrenia in 2017, at a time when we are trying to solve the Cyprus problem on the basis of a bizonal, bicommunal federation, I wonder what else it is. The ultra-right ELAM party deliberately tabled an amendment, as other political figures who backed it in the House, because this is their political position. In any case, the wrong decision taken by the House and the Turkish Cypriot side’s overreaction resulted in Thursday’s developments on the Cyprus problem, namely the withdrawal of Mr. Akinci from the negotiating table. This was an overreaction and to a certain extent unacceptable. This is the message I conveyed to all those Turkish Cypriots with whom I had meetings with from Thursday until today.
The two leaders must not play the game of the extreme nationalist forces. Substantive dialogue should be resumed immediately. Now is not the time of any petty-party or petty-political ambitions. Now is the time for the two leaders to assume their responsibilities.
– Are there any other parties, other than ELAM, who are seeking Enosis (union of Cyprus with Greece)?
– We have both political figures and parties who have stated their position. Some of them perhaps did so out of thoughtlessness, accompanied by expediencies, as they did not comprehend the scale of their action. And some evidently out of expediency, such as the governing DISY party did, thinking about the internal balances within its party in view of the presidential elections.
Do you mean that DISY’s abstention was purely a matter of serving expediencies and considerations?
– For me yes. However the uploading by DIKO party President Nicolas Papadopoulos of a photo of former AKEL General Secretary Ezekias Papaioannou speaking at a rally in 1949 during that period of the Enosis referendum was also provocative. It was AKEL which took the initiative for the Enosis referendum, we said from the first moment since 1949. From then onwards a lot has happened, namely we had the declaration of the independence of the Republic of Cyprus, the criminal coup d’état which began with the same ideas and concepts from those forces and circles who are causing these problems today, the Turkish invasion and the painful compromise made by the Greek Cypriot side to solve the Cyprus problem on the basis of bi-zonal, bi-communal federation. We really wonder why some people don’t understand that today the situation and conditions are different from those of 1950.
– Why has the Turkish Cypriot side taken the whole issue to the extreme as a result of which there is now tension between the two sides?
– One of the arguments put forth by the Turkish Cypriot side as to why they demand Turkish guarantees is because they are afraid of the existence of extremist elements in the Greek Cypriot side, elements that are still nostalgic for Enosis. At Mont Peleren 3 there this issue was discussed for one hour. There, the Greek Cypriot negotiator Mr. Mavrogiannis attempted to convince them that such approach doesn’t exist anymore in the Greek Cypriot side. He was totally refuted on Friday as a result of the decisions that were approved in the House of Representatives. Of course there are extremists within the Turkish Cypriot side as well. The Greek Cypriots on their part also have many reasons to worry about the presence of such elements within the Turkish Cypriot community. The approach arguing that because these extremists exist we should attempt to promote unacceptable solutions on the security issue leads nowhere. We should find solutions that will allay the concerns of both communities and not just one at the expense of the other.
– Is this enough as a pretext for a blockage to exist with regards the entire course of the talks?
– For a blockage to exist both leaders would have to seek and wish it. If one of them does not want it, he can always find ways to exert unbearable pressure on the other for the procedure to move forward. As regards the specific case Mr. Anastasiades’ reaction was in the wrong direction, no matter if he was right about what he said.
In our opinion he should have begun from the fact that the parliament’s decision was unacceptable and that our side will not adopt such a policy. Instead, he should have said that we will take measures to ensure that this policy will not return, and then we should have gone on to say what he did say. My view is that Mr. Anastasiades must take initiatives to move the procedure forward.
Anastasiades-DISY and Papadopoulos are thinking of the presidential elections
– You frequently state that we have prematurely began the presidential election campaign. Has Nicos Anastasiades started to think about the 2018 elections and put the Cyprus problem aside?
– I won’t refer only to Mr. Anastasiades. I think that yes, Mr. Anastasiades with various actions he is doing or/and those he avoids doing, is thinking about the 2018 presidential elections, as DISY is doing too. If you see the way the Presidential Palace replies to the other parties you will conclude that its replies are of a purely pre-election character. They aren’t the only ones though. The President of DIKO Mr. Papadopoulos has also commenced a premature pre-election campaign. It is their absolute political right to behave in this way. AKEL however considers that there is a procedure on the Cyprus problem which is facing many difficulties and which needs to be supported so that it is possible to reach an agreement. We believe that all this is premature and is causing additional problems.
I will say something that we should bear in mind: If they believe that this effort too will break down and that in March 2018, when the next President will be elected to the post, they will find the Cyprus problem as it is today, then they are fooling themselves. The facts will be very different and they will this out themselves. And I regret, because personal ambitions will lead the country to a catastrophe once again.
– Have you warned the President about this?
– I have discussed it with him.
– If the possibility is that there won’t be a solution, will we be entering a pre-election campaign?
– It is too early to talk about these issues. Let’s see what happens in Turkey with the referendum. Personally I hold the view that developments will move in various ways that will complicate us tremendously. We would do well to be prepared so that they won’t catch us unprepared and we’ll end up losing both with regards the solution to the Cyprus problem and being exposed that we are the side that doesn’t want the solution. This is my appeal to those who are serious. We should prepare ourselves effectively to deal with the situation that will emerge after the 16th April referendum in Turkey.
Forging cooperation a priority for 2018
-It is widely known that you have contacts with Georgos Lillikas. Is it AKEL’s choice and is he considered as one of the party’s options?
– We had no formal contact whatsoever with Georgos Lillikas recently. I have a personal relationship with various political leaders and political figures. The Programmatic Congress of AKEL stressed very clearly that any cooperation/alliance sought for the 2018 presidential elections will be formed on a purely political basis. If you ask me what are the priorities we will set out first, it will be to seek to find cooperation that will be based on a purely political basis. This cooperation must also concern the positions of the parties on the Cyprus problem, as well their positions on socio-economic issues. If we fail to achieve such cooperation, then we must reflect on how to subsequently proceed.
– So AKEL has not started discussions on 2018?
– We have said that we wouldn’t begin this discussion on the presidential elections. I won’t hide the fact that the recent developments have forced me personally to reflect on things and I think it might be useful to begin a reflection on the presidential elections too, at some stage.
– Have you made contacts?
– No contact whatsoever, nor have we began the discussion. I consider that we will be able see how things will evolve after the referendum in Turkey and how we should also rapidly move as well because it is obvious that others are trying to play games. We will not remain mere spectators, but we insist that we should give all the opportunities and room that exist on the Cyprus problem for the procedure to succeed. We will exhaust this opportunity till the end.
– From the moment you disagree with all the parties apart from DISY on the Cyprus problem, who could you forge an alliance with?
– We have said it is a priority, but it doesn’t necessarily mean we will forge a cooperation. If those preconditions do not exist then we will not do so. At the appropriate time we will evaluate the situation and take our decision on the basis of the given situation before us.
-What is the ideal profile of AKEL’s candidate?
– Let’s not get into a rush, let’s leave the issue until the right time comes.
– Is Andros Kyprianou being discussed as an option for the Party?
-It is too early to talk about these issues.
– Should we expect a change in your attitude on the Cyprus problem after May when you will also begin the discussion on the elections?
– Regardless of whether the discussion will commence on the presidential elections at some point, we, although there will be developments on the Cyprus problem, will separate the two. We have the ability to distinguish the two issues. We will continue to adopt a serious and responsible attitude and will support the procedure aimed at finding a solution, regardless of whether we will begin the process for the presidential elections.
– Is this feasible, given the candidacy of Nicos Anastasiades?
– We support the talks, not Nicos Anastasiades personally. We have our own positions, views and proposals on how the dialogue can proceed. Therefore, we will not play anyone’s game. We express our opinion with honestly, clarity and sincerity on the most important problem facing the country, but also on other critical issues Cyprus is confronted with. If there are no developments on the Cyprus problem and if we understand that all this is being done to pass the time and serve the pre-election goals of anyone then everyone should be sure that we will never engage in such a game for anyone.
