Turkey’s supervised European course will become a catalyst for a Cyprus solution, political parties said today, noting that Turkey must not fail to remember that its accession to the EU depends on Nicosia.
The positions were outlined during an extraordinary session of the plenary of the House of Representatives which examined the Cyprus problem after the 3rd of October decision to start accession negotiations with Turkey”.
Parliamentary Spokesman for the ruling AKEL party, Nicos Katsourides, said the UN and countries which are in a position to play a substantial role on Cyprus accept that a new initiative should not have tight deadlines nor arbitration but substantial changes to the Annan Plan which was rejected by the Greek Cypriot community during the April 2004 referendum.
Addressing the plenary meeting, Katsourides remarked however that not everything is ready for a new initiative, adding that a lot of work is still needed.
However due to the political fight which the government gave the aim of the Americans and British for direct trade with the occupied areas and other similar actions have failed.
The fights have been successful, he said, adding however that the result is not safeguarded. The same powers insist on their aim for direct trade, disregarding in a provocative manner both the international and community law, Katsourides said.
The UN and countries which are in a position to play a substantial role on the Cyprus problem, accept that within the framework of a new initiative there can be no tight deadlines, no arbitration and the agreed framework will be put before a referendum. It is also acceptable that there must be substantial changes to the Annan Plan”, he added.
Opposition Democratic Party leader Nicos Anastasiades said that the next 12 months are being offered as a fruitful period to start and complete a new UN initiative to solve the Cyprus problem.
Addressing the House, Anastasiades said that to bring back the Annan Plan as it is or with minor changes, that would constitute “a national suicide”, and stressed the need to map out a national strategy on Cyprus.
The next 12 months are being offered as a fruitful period to begin and complete a new UN initiative that will lead us to a solution which will not create feelings of insecurity to either side, but instead will build a country that will secure viability, stability and prosperity to all its citizens, he added.
Anastasiades said that the common foundation which the National Council has laid down should become the starting point in efforts to make use of the situation and mobilize international interest and provoke a new international initiative with the active involvement of the EU, leading to a final solution to the consequences created by the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus.
In his speech, Acting President of the ruling Democratic Party, Nicos Cleanthous said the EU and all member states should realize their responsibilities and contribute to a solution to the Cyprus problem based on UN resolutions and the principles on which the Union was created.
“There are now more favourable conditions. We have in our hands powerful and more effective political, diplomatic and legal weapons to claim a fairer, more democratic, functional and viable solution to the Cyprus problem”, he added.
Cleanthous said that these developments “are due to the planning between Nicosia and Athens, and the intensive efforts of President of the Republic Tassos Papadopoulos, his government and the political forces which back his strategy and tactics”.
“Step by step, these efforts are yielding results. This is how the DEKO evaluates the 3rd of October and looks to the future with optimism”, he added.
He also expressed hope that Turkey’s supervised European course will become the catalyst for a solution that will conform with UN Security Council resolutions and EU principles.
President of Socialist Party EDEK, Yiannakis Omirou stressed the need to set up the basis for a new initiative to solve the Cyprus problem, noting that otherwise there is the danger that a new initiative will have the form of returning the Annan Plan to the negotiating table.
Addressing the plenary session of the House of Representatives, Omirou said the basis of negotiations should be based on the fact that the Annan Plan was rejected by Cypriot Hellenism and therefore it cannot return as it is, nor with marginal changes.
According to Omirou, in an effort to avoid the danger of this happening, it should become clear that the basis of the negotiations will be the Security Council resolutions on Cyprus, the High Level Agreements of 1977 and 1979, the European Court of Human Rights decisions on Cyprus against Turkey and the European Convention of Human Rights.
Referring to Turkey’s EU course after October, Omirou said what is important now is to make use of the abilities offered in the EU counterstatement to Turkey’s non-recognition of Cyprus and the EU – Turkey negotiating framework.
“Unanimity is required as far as opening and closing chapters during accession negotiations”, stressed Omirou, adding that the message to Ankara should be that “we will not consent to negotiations with the EU without Turkey fully implementing the conditions and obligations it has undertaken”.
The European Party suggested that with initiatives the Greek Cypriot side should make use of the time within the European Union and at the same time evaluate the European environment and European institutions.
Speaking before the House during the session which the European Party had asked for, Syllouris said that his party wants to see the accession of a democratic and European Turkey to the EU, which will be able to accept a European democratic solution” to the Cyprus problem,
Syllouris said that “we must have a clear aim, that however long it takes Turkey to prepare, however much the illegal regime is upgraded, Turkey will not accede the EU because its accession goes through Nicosia and we must decide that it will determined through a referendum of the people”.
He further said that his party disagreed with President of the Republic Tassos Papadopoulos for not clearly demanding the least for 3rd of October and with the use of veto at least demand the recognition and implementation of the Ankara agreement.
United Democrats member of the House, Androulla Vassiliou said no prospect nor any initiative is anticipated on the Cyprus problem.
At the same time, partition is solidified, on territory, Greek Cypriot properties, the peoples’ conscience and the perception of the international community”, she told the House special session.
“We ought to inform the people that the dangers that are looming are great. First of all, there is the danger of partition which will be hard because it will imply viortual exploitation of Greek Cypriot properties, making the solution as regards to the return of properties practically impossible.
“We must undo the impression that we consider the status quo as the second best solution. We rightly protest over Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat’s visit to the US and elsewhere and condemn all efforts to upgrade the illegal regime”, she said, adding that we must move with determination and confidence to reverse the partitionist course and create once again the dynamic for solution and reunification”, she concluded.
Struggling Democratic Movement ADIK leader Dinos Michaelides said the Republic of Cyprus does not have any other choice but to immediately and swiftly mobnilize to carefully prepare a “plan for an overall solution to the Cyprus problem” that will approach a solution to the Cyprus problem properly, balanced and fair.
He added that we need to wipe out from our dictionary the name “Annan Plan”.
Addressing the plenary session, Michaelides said there are efforts to revive the Annan Plan by everyone, especially the US, Britain and the UN Secretary General, adding that the Republic of Cyprus is a full member of the EU therefore the community legal order, the popular sovereignty and human rights are non-negotiable issues.
He also described as provocative Turkey’s stance against Cyprus and Greece even after the EU gave the green light for Turkey to begin its accession negotiations.
The Ecologists – Environmentalists member of the House, George Perdikis, said his movement believes that both the EU counter-declaration as well as the EU-Turkey negotiating framework contain many positive elements which if are being used carefully and with determination, as well as correct planning, they can be useful in efforts for a just, viable and functional solution to the Cyprus problem.
In his speech, Perdikis said the movement backs every political force and the government with the hope that with determination and boldness, we will demand the rights of the people of Cyprus through the EU, pursuing a European solution.
Perdikis also expressed indignation over Britain’s stance which he described as biased and pro-turkish.
European Democracy leader Prodromos Prodromou said his party believes that the Greek Cypriot side failed on October 3rd.
He said the government had lost the sole chance to lay the European foundations for a future solution to the Cyprus problem.
Expressing his satisfaction over today’s discussion, Prodromou described the handling of the Cyprus problem by the Papadopoulos administration as “depressing”. (CNA)
