AKEL has submitted a proposal to the National Council with Andros Kyprianou stating that the most important thing is to keep the hope for a solution of the Cyprus problem alive.

The General Secretary of AKEL said Turkey is more provocative and aggressive than any other action it has taken in the Cypriot Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

At the moment, what is important is to see how there can be as broad as possible cooperation forged between the President of the Republic and the political parties in order to address in the most effective way Turkey’s illegal actions. At the same time, he added, for AKEL it is important to keep the effort for a solution to the Cyprus problem alive, which is the principal aim we have set out as the Republic of Cyprus.

AKEL’s proposals, he said, are trying to fulfill both goals, namely to maintain the hope for a solution to the Cyprus problem alive on the basis of the agreed framework and at the same time to reverse Turkey’s illegal actions in the EEZ.

“We are ready to cooperate with the President of the Republic and the rest of the political parties, provided that the actions that will be taken are aiming to achieve these goals”.

At the National Council meeting, Andros Kyprianou stated that he proposed that the President of the Republic should undertake initiatives towards the UN Secretary General and the EU for the resumption of substantive negotiations on the Cyprus problem, provided that Turkey’s provocative actions in the EEZ are terminated.

AKEL considers, he noted, that President Anastasiades must say to the UN Secretary General that he is ready for negotiations on the basis of the Secretary General’s Report tabled in September 2017. “That is, as regards the substance, based on the Guterres framework, the convergences achieved so far and the informal document on the implementation of the agreement”.

As for the procedure of the negotiations, he said, there should be two tables, one with a composition that will discuss the external aspects of the Cyprus problem, and the other with another composition, to discuss the internal aspects. “And we should make it clear that on the one hand we do not accept timetables, but we are committed to making every effort and if there is a corresponding response within the agreed framework by the Turkish side, to come to an agreement as soon as possible.”

At the same time, the General Secretary of AKEL continued, we should reaffirm the convergence that exists on natural resources and the incomes from them, which would resolve the issue of hydrocarbons with the solution of the Cyprus problem.

Mr. Kyprianou said that the National Council is discussing proposals and expressed AKEL’s readiness to denounce, together with the rest of the political parties and the President of the Republic, Turkey’s illegal Turkish acts and the adventurousness with which Turkey behaves. “Whatever decisions are taken should keep the prospect of a solution to the Cyprus problem alive, which is the most important of our goals. We are worried because developments in the Turkish Cypriot community I believe are regretfully limiting the time we have at our disposal to discuss the solution on the basis of federation.”

If things inside the Turkish Cypriot community evolve negatively, he said, from April onwards, we will have before us political forces and politicians who will now insist on a two-state solution, just like Turkey. “This is something that is extremely worrying.”

Asked whether AKEL agrees with Nicosia’s moves in the direction of the EU and possible sanctions which the President Anastasiades is allegedly seeking, Mr. Kyprianou replied that “we should initially act in another way. We do rule out initiatives to impose sanctions, but first other moves should take precedence and if they do not yield results, then yes, why not consider them.”

Invited to say whether he believes we have moved away from the convergence on the issue of hydrocarbons, Mr. Kyprianou replied in a negative way, saying that Turkey is trying to find a fake excuse, which we do not accept. Turkey says it is in Cyprus to serve the interests of the Turkish Cypriot community, and we do not accept this, he added, going on to point out that Turkey “is not interested at all in the interests of the Turkish Cypriots.”

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