UNFICYP Resolution: The worst was averted

  

Statement of Stefanos Stefanou, member of the Political Bureau

AKEL C.C. Press Office, 30th January 2015, Nicosia

 

Under the circumstances the worst was averted in the resolution for the renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force (UNFICYP), with the help of Russia, China, France and other member countries of the UN Security Council and having the government’s “strategic partners” confronting us.

Under normal conditions the resolution would not have been considered as satisfactory. The resolution itself does not say anything of substance. It is characteristic that the resolution avoids mentioning even the blatant violation of the UN Charter of the UN and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea by Turkey.

The UN, at the given time of the resolution, calls for the creation of a suitable climate for the resumption of the negotiations without stating the reason why the President of the Republic suspended his participation in them.

The resolution proves how right AKEL was when it warned that although it is correct to denounce Turkey for its violations, this alone however is not enough. Unfortunately, at the given time AKEL’s view was not taken into account, resulting in the subsequent well-known negative developments that followed.

It is imperative that the government, drawing lessons from the extremely worrying developments, even at this stage must undertake correct initiatives, far from any petty considerations, so as to force Turkey to defuse its provocations and resume the procedure of the talks, which is the only available means to solve the Cyprus problem.

Otherwise, we will continue to trail behind simply following the negative developments.