House President Demetris Christofias has said that the National Council should give a clear mandate to President Tassos Papadopoulos, reiterating its commitment to a settlement of a bizonal, bicommunal federation.
The Council, the top advisory body to the President on the question of Cyprus, will convene on Monday, two days before a meeting between Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat.
“We have the strong view that the National Council must renew its commitment to a settlement of a bizonal, bicommunal federation, that will be based on the high level agreements, UN resolutions, international and European law,†Christofias stressed.
He underlined that such a solution will free Cyprus from the Turkish occupation, restore and safeguard human rights and fundamental freedoms and reunite Cyprus, its people, its institutions and the economy.
Christofias also said that a settlement tantamount to a division of the island was unacceptable and the worst and most destructive option for the country.
“We reject division and we struggle for the right federal settlement. It is crystal clear for us that federation provides for the political equality of the two communities, as determined in the UN resolutions,†he added and underlined that “we say yes to a federal settlement with the right content that will make it functional and will serve the interests of all Cypriots.â€
As regards political developments in Turkey, he expressed the view that they will inevitably affect Cyprus, noting that the victory of Recep Tayiip Erdogan’s party in the recent elections and the election of Abdullah Gul to the Presidency constitute a blow for the military Kemalist status quo.
He said “we must remain vigilant and monitor developments,†expressing hope that the Cyprus question has not served as a bargaining chip between the military and the politicians in Turkey.
Furthermore, he underlined that “we have to be ready, both Cyprus and Greece, to address new moves by the Turkish government aiming to show that Turkey is a step ahead of us.â€
Papadopoulos and Talat meet September 5 under the terms of a UN-brokered agreement in July last year, which aims at preparing the ground for substantive negotiations leading to a comprehensive settlement that would reunite Cyprus, divided since the 1974 Turkish invasion.
