Unprecedented intervention by Turkey in the vote for the Turkish Cypriot leader
Statement by the General Secretary of the C.C. of AKEL A.Kyprianou on the result of the vote in the occupied territories
We will never accept partition
AKEL C.C. Press Office, 19th October 2020, Nicosia
The result of the vote in the occupied territories for the new leader of the Turkish Cypriot community is an extremely negative development with regards the prospect of resolving the Cyprus problem within the agreed framework of bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political equality as set out in the relevant Resolutions of the UN Security Council.
The election of Tatar was not determined by our Turkish Cypriot compatriots, but by Turkey’s unprecedented intervention and by the vote of the settlers. At the same time, it must not be overlooked that almost half of the voters turned their backs on the all-powerful Erdogan and the political forces that oppose the solution of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation.
The conditions are becoming much more difficult. Unfortunately, time was wasted. More than three years were lost without any negotiation procedure, and indeed with a Turkish Cypriot leader before us who rejected the two-state solution and insisted on a federal solution. As of today, our interlocutor is Mr. Tatar, who favors partitionist policies. Mr. Tatar who for sure will govern according to Ankara’s wishes.
On this occasion, I would like to stress for the umpteenth time that AKEL will never accept partition. The situation is very difficult, but nothing is over yet. We will continue the struggle for liberation and reunification undaunted. Mr. Anastasiades must with consistency, not only in words but also in practice and in deeds, insist on a resumption of the negotiation procedure and continuing it from where it had remained at Crans Montana, on the basis of the Guterres Framework and the convergences recorded so far.
There is no longer any room whatsoever for concessions and regressions. That’s the only way will Turkey feel pressure to abandon its partitionist orientations and return to the point we were until the break down at Crans Montana.
Our own call to our compatriots, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, is not to be disheartened. They shouldn’t consider that this development closes the curtain on the Cyprus problem. We should mobilize ourselves more determined than ever in the common struggle for liberation and reunification.
