President Demetris Christofias has rejected criticism leveled against him by the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community that he trying to change provisions of the 1960 treaties, which established the Republic of Cyprus.
“I seek to change the Zurich and London Agreements which provide that the President of the country is directly elected by the Greek Cypriots and the Vice President by the Turkish Cypriot. Both must be directly elected by the people of Cyprus, on a common ballot,” Presidnet Christofias has said.
The President outlined these positions as he addressed the opening ceremony of the 16th Annual Conference of the Central Council of the World Federation for Overseas Cypriots (POMAK) and the International Coordinating Committee “Justice for Cyprus” (PSEKA), and the Conference of the Executive Council of the World Organisation for Young Overseas Cypriots (NEPOMAK), which is being held in Nicosia, from 24-28 August.
Christofias stressed that “each Cypriot, Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot, should bear responsibility for the election of the President and the Vice President on a common ballot. In that sense and under this condition, we have accepted the rotating presidency, in the context of the current negotiations” for a political settlement, he said.
He explained that in a six year presidency term, the President during the first four years will be a Greek Cypriot and the Vice President a Turkish Cypriot, and during the last two years they will change offices.
“This safeguards the unity of the people, the unity of the social classes and not the unity of the one or the other community”, he stressed.
Christofias said that Talat accuses him of asserting and claiming the inalienable right of the refugees to choose what to do with their properties in northern Turkish occupied Cyprus and of not accepting Turkey’s guarantees of the country’s independence and territorial integrity.
He stressed that the agreed basis, upon which the current UN-led direct negotiations take place, is the bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political equality as defined by relevant UN resolutions, for one federal state with a single sovereignty, a single citizenship and one international personality.
“Had this basis not been accepted, I would have abandoned the negotiations. This basis was accepted in the most official manner and it is recorded in minutes by the UN as the basis for a solution of the Cyprus problem”, he added.
“We are right in condemning Turkey at various fora, Turkey is the occupation power. However, we have laid down the carpet for Ankara to invade and occupy part of Cyprus. If we want to make friends in the international community, we have to tell this to the world,” he added.
The international community, he continued, knows that the 1974 coup d' etat in Cyprus and the fascist EOKA B organisation overthrew the legally elected President of Cyprus (the late Archbishop Makarios) and paved the way for the Turkish invasion.
He also stressed the need for the two communities to apologise to each other for what they have done to each other and the need for Turkey apologise for the crimes it has committed against the people of Cyprus, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.
The President called for self-criticism among the island’s two communities, “if catharsis is to take place and true reconciliation is to follow, as it has happened in South Africa”, which he described as a “very good example Cyprus should study”.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory.
President Christofias and Talat have been engaged in UN-led direct negotiations since September 2008 with a view to reach a solution of the Cyprus problem. The first phase of the talks was concluded this month and the second round will begin on September 3.
