Yet another regression by Mr. Anastasiades has come to deal a blow to the prospects of resuming negotiations

Statement by AKEL C.C. Spokesperson Stefanos Stefanou on the Cyprus problem

AKEL C.C. Press Office, 9 April 2019, Nicosia

We have once more been informed via the mass media that President Anastasiades, presented through UN Secretary General envoy on Cyprus Mrs. Lute, has proposed a system of parliamentary democracy for Cyprus. At the same time as time is running out for a conclusion on the terms of reference based on the Guterres framework, yet another regression by Mr. Anastasiades has come to deal a blow to the prospects of resuming negotiations.

Mr. Anastasiades himself is repeatedly giving assurances that he wants to continue the negotiations from where they had remained at Crans Montana. However, every “new idea” he is submitting is increasingly moving us away from the Guterres Framework. We shall indicatively list some such cases.

– Anastasiades’ proposal for a decentralized federation has to do with the federal competences that had been agreed and for this reason they were not included in the Framework by the UN Secretary General.

– Subsequently, the President also retracted the convergence for a positive vote in the Council of Ministers, which he again had reaffirmed at Crans Montana. This is a convergence of utmost importance, the disputing of which, according to the Turkish Cypriot side, constitutes a violation of political equality. We recall that this convergence replaced the rigid Zurich veto.

– At this moment, Mr. Anastasiades is belatedly proposing a system of parliamentary democracy and by doing so reversing yet another convergence, namely the one regarding a presidential system, which he himself had reconfirmed at Crans Montana.

The facts are there for all to see and Mr. Anastasiades’ regressions are increasingly numerous. The danger of not reaching a conclusion on the terms of reference, but also for the Greek Cypriot side to be seen at the very least as equally responsible for any adverse developments, is more than discernable.

And for sure the responsibilities will not be collective Mr. Anastasiades, but your own government will be held responsible.