There is no other path to a solution beyond the agreed-upon basis for negotiations since 1977, namely a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality, AKEL Secretary-General Stefanos Stefanou stated today.
Speaking at the symbolic wreath-laying ceremony at the Monument to the Fallen and Missing in Deryneia, Mr. Stefanou described the UN Secretary-General’s visit to Cyprus as historic and said that both sides have a duty to respond to his call and find a way to resume negotiations, noting that there is common ground—namely, the position that negotiations should resume from the point where they were suspended, while preserving the areas of convergence.
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Mr. Stefanou stated that AKEL is holding this event again this year on the anniversary of the start of the second phase of the Attila invasion, when, as he said, Turkish occupation forces captured Famagusta, Morphou, and Karpasia.
As he noted, the event is being held for three main reasons, the first being to honor those who gave their lives and those who rushed to defend the freedom and territorial integrity of Cyprus, “even with meager resources, even though they were betrayed.”
Mr. Stefanou said that behind the Cypriot tragedy lie the Athens junta and EOKA B, as well as, as he put it, conspiracies in foreign NATO centers aimed at the partition of Cyprus.
The second and, as he emphasized, most important message of the event is the need to continue the struggle for the liberation of Cyprus and justice for the Cypriot people.
The General Secretary of AKEL emphasized that justice can be achieved only through a solution that will end the Turkish occupation and reunite the land and the people, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.
In this context, he reiterated AKEL’s position that there is no other path to a solution beyond the agreed-upon basis for negotiations since 1977, namely, a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality.
He noted that this year’s event is taking place against the backdrop of the ongoing initiative by the United Nations Secretary-General, who, just a few months before the end of his term, is seeking to bring to a close the personal effort he has been undertaking for several years to achieve a solution to the Cyprus problem.
Source: CNA
Mr. Stefanou described the UN Secretary-General’s visit to Cyprus a few weeks ago as historic, noting that his statements should be taken to heart, specifically his desire to see the process through to completion.
As he explained, this means breaking the deadlock and resuming negotiations from the point at which they were suspended in Crans-Montana in 2017, while preserving the areas of convergence and the negotiating achievements built up through years of hard work.
At the same time, he advocated making use of the framework presented by the UN Secretary-General in Crans-Montana, so that the effort could be concluded by focusing on the outstanding issues of the Cyprus problem, which, as he said, “are not many.”
Mr. Stefanou emphasized that both sides have a duty to respond to the UN Secretary-General’s call and find a way to resume negotiations.
“There is common ground,” he said, noting that both sides’ official position is to resume negotiations from the point where they were suspended, while preserving the areas of convergence.
He therefore called on both sides to focus on this point in order to create the necessary momentum for reaching a solution.
In closing, the General Secretary of AKEL made it clear that his party will not abandon the struggle and the effort to find a solution to the Cyprus problem, nor will it be deterred by the difficulties facing the process.
“We must overcome these difficulties through our work,” he said, assuring that AKEL will continue, as he put it, to be at the forefront of the struggle to achieve a solution to the Cyprus problem.
This, he emphasized, is the key message that AKEL seeks to convey through today’s symbolic event in Deryneia.
This was followed by the presentation of a resolution to the United Nations Secretary-General at the Deryneia roadblock.
