AKEL GS: the key thing is to keep the flame of the effort to solve the Cyprus problem burning

A symbolic bicommunal event for peace and a solution to the Cyprus problem, calling for “all roads to be opened” was held on by Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, members of 108 organisations, political parties, trade unions and NGOs.
More specifically, Greek Cypriots gathered on Salaminos Street, near the entrance to the Famagusta Gate trench and Turkish Cypriots at the trench park next to Kyrenia Gate, in occupied Nicosia, and marched parallel to the Orfeas area of the ‘Green Line’.
There, representatives of the organisers handed a petition to a representative of the UN Peacekeeping Force calling for the resumption of negotiations on the basis of Bi-zonal, Bicommunal Federation.
They also called for the opening of further crossing points within the framework of Confidence Building Measures, pointing out that this is a demand that has remained unfulfilled for years.
As the participants in the event underlined, this action is the beginning of a series of efforts towards the resumption of talks aimed at a solution to the Cyprus problem on the basis of bizonal, bicommunal federation.
Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots assured that they will continue the struggle for a reunited Cyprus, without foreign troops and dividing lines.
Symbolically, the participants of the event released white balloons from both sides of the ‘Green Line’ into the air with the wish that Nicosia and all of Cyprus will be reunited soon.
The event was also attended by the General Secretary of AKEL Stefanos Stefanou, who said that AKEL could not be absent from this event. As S.Stefanou said, “especially in this period when there has been a deadlock since 2017 and this deadlock is being instrumentalised by Turkey to consolidate the fait accompli of the invasion and occupation, there is a need through such rapprochement activities and actions to keep the flame of hope for the solution lit, which is precisely why we are here at the ‘Green Line’.”
The General Secretary of AKEL added that our request is that “more cross points should be opened to further help the communication between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, but more importantly to convey the message that we must not stop the effort to solve the Cyprus problem and what is important today is the resumption of the negotiations”.
The General Secretary of AKEL said that “the opening of crossing points and other Confidence Building Measures that improve the daily life of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots is not a substitute for the solution of the Cyprus problem, but it is AKEL’s long standing position that with such Confidence Building Measures we also help to strengthen communication in various aspects of affecting the life of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots”.
“Of course, the key thing is to keep the flame of the effort to resolve the Cyprus problem burning, especially now that there is a great pessimism due to the deadlock and Turkey’s whole behaviour,” Stefanos Stefanou said.