The General Secretary of the C.C. of AKEL replying to a journalist’s question as to how AKEL assesses the given situation since it seems to be entering a critical period and the coming days are considered particularly important, stated:
“You are absolutely right that all the indications suggest that something serious is in progress with regards the Cyprus problem. I cannot of course predetermine what will happen during the discussions on the territorial issue. We are expecting the briefing which will take place in the National Council so that we know how the meetings of the President of the Republic have progressed with Mr. Akinci that were held in October. We will draw our conclusions accordingly as to ascertain where the Cyprus problem is today.
As I had said yesterday as well, we have requested a separate meeting with the President, apart from the views, positions and proposals which we will put forth during the session of the National Council. We want to talk to the President of the Republic in private about these issues. We would like to convey some of our own thoughts, some of our own views, so that going to the meetings he will have with Mr. Akinci he should be as well prepared as possible.
I believe that we must all act constructively. Concerns do exist. They are justified in my view. We have the experience of the past, but this in no way must prevent us from acting constructively in an attempt to exhaust all possible scopes, if the Turkish side cooperates, to be able to arrive at an agreement. Of course, this agreement will not be achieved in the discussions on the territorial issue. You realize that there is subsequently a huge issue pending, that is, the issue of security, which is extremely important for us and for the Turkish Cypriots. “