Wed-a-tet was the meeting between the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, and the former President of DISY and candidate for the Presidency of the Republic, Averof Neophytou, at the Presidential Palace, before the former’s departure for New York, where he participated in the proceedings of the 81st UN General Assembly. Appearing as a guest on the Alpha News program, Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letympiotis explained that President Christodoulides listened to Mr. Neophytou’s views on the Cyprus issue, as he has publicly articulated them. When asked about Mr. Neophytou’s announcement that he is entering the electoral “battle” to run for the highest office of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr. Letympiotis stated that it is the democratic right of citizens and politicians to make decisions “based on their own assessments.”
“For a politician to claim that he alone possesses the will to resolve the Cyprus issue thereby implying, in effect, that either the current President of the Republic or his predecessors are to blame—because for the past 52 years we have had no solution to the Cyprus problem, and this is not due to any fault on our part. What has not changed over the past 52 years is Turkey’s evasive stance and intransigence. We have applied every possible approach to the Cyprus issue under every government that has come and gone in Cyprus. And unfortunately, we have not achieved the desired outcome—a solution to the Cyprus problem—not because our side lacked the will, but because we faced this intransigence.”
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Mr. Letympiotis noted that the government’s actions toward resuming talks on a solution to the Cyprus problem are well documented and questioned whether Mr. Neophytou can claimthat he can persuade Turkey, the occupying power, “to return to the negotiating table, adopt the UN resolutions, and abandon the two-state solution, and that he has such tools that can be utilized to the fullest”
“I would like to remind you of how far we have come; despite the stance taken by the other side, we are on the verge of convening a conference, and we hope it will be successful; This is both our goal and that of the UN Secretary-General, who is personally committed to this Conference and whose contribution has been decisive; we hope it will be so before the end of his term.”
When asked about DIKO, Konstantinos Letympiotis said that it is an “institutional partner” and “important ally” for the government, with close and productive cooperation across all areas of policymaking.
“Particularly regarding the issue of the electricity interconnection, the positions of the President of the Republic are clear. We are in close coordination with the Greek government and the French government. There is a specific roadmap that has been agreed upon with the project’s implementing agency, and this roadmap also aligns with our own obligations.”
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DIKO
DIKO is a key partner; our collaboration is very productive and close.
We are in constant communication with Athens; Roadmap
