Trust can’t be built through Turkey’s daily provocative statements and actions
Statement by Stefanos Stefanou, AKEL C.C. Spokesperson
AKEL C.C. Press Office, 30th March 2017, Nicosia
Without the existence of trust, it’s difficult for a negotiation to be able to arrive at a successful outcome. This applies to the Cyprus problem as well.
The trust, however, about which the Foreign Minister of Turkey Mr. Cavusoglu and the National Security Council of Turkey are talking about, cannot be built through the provocative statements Turkish officials are making daily. Trust cannot be built with the provocative actions that Turkey is making in the area of the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Republic of Cyprus.
The willingness of each involved party on the Cyprus problem is first and foremost judged at the negotiating table. Consequently, instead of making statements and taking actions that harm the prospect of the dialogue, the Turkish side should return to the dialogue and let it prove there with the positions it is submitting whether it genuinely means what it says about wanting the solution of the Cyprus problem. For us to hope for a solution, the negotiations must be substantive, which means that it must be focused on the substantive outstanding issues.
Of course, a solution to the Cyprus problem cannot be achieved if Turkey insists on maintaining anachronistic security and guarantee system, a position from which Mr. Cavusoglu and the NSC declare they are not going to retreat.
