President says coherent front necessary for a Cyprus solution

A necessary prerequisite for a solution to the Cyprus issue is having a coherent internal front, President Nikos Christodoulides said on Saturday, addressing an anti-occupation rally, organised by Famagusta Municipality at Dherynia Cultural Centre, on the occasion of the 49th anniversary of the 1974 Turkish invasion.

Christodoulides announced that he had a talk with the President of the Reconstruction and Resettlement Council, and an updated study is underway for the occupied city of Famagusta, with an emphasis on the fenced-off town. He said that this study is expected to be completed in September and will include specific actions required to be taken immediately after the solution for the reconstruction and resettlement of the area.

He said that this proves that in addition to the efforts to resolve the Cyprus problem, the government is working for the day after the solution. He announced that this study will be handed to the European Union which has previously been involved in similar cases in other member states.

Referring to the events of the last few days and the reactions sparked by the intention of the Turkish Cypriot mayor of Famagusta to attend this event, the president welcomed the presence of Turkish Cypriots at the rally, noting that he strongly believes that for someone to participate in the event, means he/she embrace the anti-occupation messages sent.

He thanked them for attending and being there with the rest, pointing out that the vast majority of our Turkish Cypriot compatriots want reunification and solution based on the agreed framework.

Christodoulides added that this is not a struggle of who is going to win but a struggle to unite all the people of Cyprus, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, European citizens who do not need guarantors, occupying troops and invasive rights in their homeland.

He said that he can comprehend the strong feelings of anger and bitterness that the invasion and occupation caused to everyone, noting that in no case does the state compromise with the occupation but “we are more persistent and work harder so that we can be the generation to reunite our island, the generation born before or a little after the cruel invasion.”

He spoke of what the passage of time brings everyday adding that this is the reason the government took an initiative for the resumption of the peace talks. Christodoulides said that the aim is to involve important foreign states, the international community, the UN and the EU so that we achieve the lifting of the impasse and the resumption of talks. He described the UN General Assembly to convene in September and the October European Council, as decisive milestones.

He said that he refrains from any unnecessary and counterproductive confrontations and his aim is the resumption of the talks from where they left off the summer of 2017 in Crans Montana.

He said once again that the solution should be based on relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, the principles and values of the EU and the European acquis, a solution of bizonal, bicommunal federation, with political equality, as provided by the UNSC resolutions, a functional and sustainable solution, for a state with a single sovereignty, international personality and a citizenship, without occupying armies and guarantees.

He said that his vision is for Cyprus to become again a free and reunited island for all Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Armenians, Maronites and Latins, all the legal residents of the island.

In his speech, the president said: “We do not fight to have winners and losers in Cyprus but to recognise the historical truth and to restore the human rights and basic freedoms of all and to be able to freely live, work, prosper in a land with no dividing lines and barbed wires.”

He also said that in addition to the United Nations, in the context of which the negotiation process is being conducted, we also want to involve the EU and its institutions, taking into account Ankara’s wishes for positive developments in its relations with the EU. He pledged that he is determined to take bold but beneficial decisions, disregarding any political cost that will lead to Cyprus reunification.

Referring to the need to cooperate with the Turkish Cypriots who wish for the reunification of Cyprus, the president said that he is in contact with organised and non-organised groups of Turkish Cypriots. He said that the government is working on a series of measures that will be addressed to Turkish Cypriot compatriots exclusively, which will be announced soon.

He noted that these measures will prove in practice that the Republic of Cyprus cares for the whole of its people and considers the concerns of the Turkish Cypriots as well.

He also said that we have experienced the disastrous consequences of internal division in the past therefore a coherent internal front, a consensus and unity are the conditions to lead to the reunification and return of Famagusta to its lawful inhabitants which is the common goal.

The deadlock in the Cyprus issue does not provide security, the mayor of Famagusta Simos Ioannou said on Saturday addressing the same event. He said that they continue to call Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot leadership to respect the UN Security Council Resolutions.

He said that division will never be an option for the Cyprus people adding that “we demand a united and free island, a homeland for all its people, Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Maronites, Armenians and Latins.”

Ioannou said that the return of Famagusta, under UN temporary administration with the aim of returning the city to its lawful inhabitants, will be beneficial for all of Cyprus and all Cypriots. The mayor said that Famagusta can become a living example of peaceful coexistence and cooperation of the two communities. He added: “We can only save Famagusta by returning to the negotiating table.”

He said that neither the extremely ambitious announcements of sanctions against Turkey, which would certainly be fair, nor the effort of the previous government to agree on confidence building measures, proved to be sufficient actions to save Famagusta.

Ioannou noted that the Cyprus solution is the one that can save both Famagusta and the whole of the island saying that this should be a solution of bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality as described in the UN resolutions.

He pointed out that the way to reach this solution is the sole one of the resumption of the talks from where they left off in Crans Montana, on the basis of the Guterres Framework, preserving the convergences achieved, without any footnotes and without questioning the provisions of this framework.

Ioannou said that “we must approach the progressive forces of the Turkish Cypriot community who are resisting the plans by Turkish President and the Turkish Cypriot leader for Varosha and who reject the two-state rhetoric.”

He said that the last few days he was criticised because of inviting to the event the Turkish Cypriot Famagusta mayor Suleyman Uluçay but went on to say that he was brought up by his mother not to hate or to seek for revenge.

He expressed his respect to his friend Suleyman, as he said, who decided not to attend because he did not want to cause further problems.

Ioannou added that Turkey and the leadership in the north continue with their plans for colonisation of Famagusta and they undermine the perspective of the solution to the Cyprus issue and the reunification of our homeland.

He also said that there is the need to have unity and understanding between us, adding that it is not possible to compromise with the current status quo occupation, either because some have built political careers the Cyprus issue or because some financial interests are served with this status quo.

The mayor said that they do not advise anyone to sell off their house and property.

He went on to say that as a government and as people “we need to realistically assess what is happening around us, what the occupying power is planning and what the international environment is, we cannot reach any misjudgements.” He also said that it should be clear to all that stagnation is not a solution and is not beneficial adding also that Cyprus is at a borderline and dangerous point.

Ioannou said that they must act so as not to suffer a new, painful or even fatal defeat that is the conclusion of Cyprus division.

Mayor of Dherynia Andros Karayiannis also addressed the event and said that what is happening in Famagusta and the beach in Dherynia can clearly be observed even from the rural part of his city.

He turned to Christodoulides saying that “we expect that you will give us more hope and light regarding the resumption of the talks.”

The Turkish Cypriot leadership announced in July 2021 a partial lifting of the military status in Varosha. A few months earlier, on October 8, 2020, the Turkish side opened part of the fenced area of Varosha, following an announcement made in Ankara on October 6.