Greece won’t accept partition

Cyprus and Greece vowed Tuesday that no faits accomplis could be accepted on the island, nor any solutions favouring partition as Turkey demands.

Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos and his Greek counterpart Giorgos Gerapetritis held a joint press conference in Nicosia after the Greek diplomat’s first overseas visit since his appointment.

“We are not going to accept faits accomplis in any way,” said Gerapetritis.

He added that finding a fair solution to the Cyprus problem is Greece’s “top national priority.”

Gerapetritis argued that “Greece consistently supports Cyprus in resuming efforts to resolve the Cyprus issue.”

Kombos said: “Greece has been and remains our perennial support” regarding the Cyprus issue.

“Our common vision remains the reunification of Cyprus exclusively within the agreed framework of the United Nations, based on the Bizonal Bicommunal Federation with political equality, as defined by the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council.

“We emphasise that we will never accept solutions that favour partition or other similar approaches”.

He said Greece was a key ally in Nicosia’s efforts to strengthen the contribution of the EU in reunification talks.

“Its active involvement, both in breaking the impasse and during the negotiations, is of primary importance.

“The recent Conclusions of the European Council are relevant.

“We find that the Cyprus issue is again part of the agenda and that our approach is being recognised and accepted,” said Kombos.

Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots seek to change the dynamic of Cyprus negotiations, demanding the acceptance of two separate states on the island before deadlocked talks can resume.