Anastasiadis: The creation of two states has no place in the Cyprus issue

The President of the Republic sent a strict message to Erdogan’s country, noting that the creation of two states has no place in the Cyprus issue. «Turkey confirmed in the loudest possible way yesterday its unchangeable position in the Cyprus issue“, which has been engraved even since the founding of the Republic of Cyprus”, said Nikos Anastasiadis.

Speaking to reporters during his visit to Psematismenos, the President of the Republic, invited to comment on the provocative and threatening statements made by the President and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, said that “I am sincerely saddened by the behavior and attitude, which is not unprecedented, is well known throughout the course of the Cyprus negotiations. It is well known that the failure to reach a solution was not due to the lack of will on the part of the Greek Cypriot community, but as a result of Turkish intransigence. “

“Yesterday (Turkey) confirmed in the loudest possible way the unchanged position that has been engraved much earlier, even since the founding of the Republic of Cyprus,” he said, as broadcast by the Athens News Agency.

“What I want to send as a message to our political leadership is to take everything that is expressed, delivered and implemented through specific policies and to stop dictating that we should, without negotiation, accept positions that will simply be accepted as accomplished. , without taking anything.

“Our aim is to prevent these unacceptable positions expressed either by the President or by the Turkish Foreign Minister, or by the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community,” said Nikos Anastasiadis.

“Our goal is to find a solution within the parameters of the United Nations”

“The creation of two states has no place, sovereign equality has no place, because it presupposes the existence of sovereignty. Our aim is to find a solution within the parameters of the United Nations, significant work and convergences have been achieved, and therefore, based on the letters of the Secretary-General, we will go to Geneva with the positions expressed by the UN, the Council Security Council, the EU, all states, seeking a solution that will transform the Republic of Cyprus into a bi-communal state, but above all a functional one, which will not become a protectorate of Ankara, which will guarantee its rights of all Cypriot citizens, whether Greek Cypriots or Turkish Cypriots, “he said.

«We have never thought of dominating what we have discussed: political equality between the two entities, but also political equality, as interpreted by Security Council Resolution 716, which does not necessarily require a positive vote on all decisions.He added.

He added that he accepts the positive vote in case a proposal to the Council of Ministers after the resolution of the Cyprus issue, could harm the interests of the Turkish Cypriot community, adding that “there they should have the right to protect themselves. “And that expresses political equality and the protection of political equality, meaning, of course, that there will be an effective mechanism for resolving disputes.”

Asked to comment on the concerns on the domestic front in relation to the Cyprus issue, President Anastasiadis said that “I share the concerns expressed about Turkey’s intentions that have been declared and are gradually being implemented. This, yes, concerns me and it is natural for me to take into account what is being said by whoever is being said.

But let’s separate something. One is to know how, or to seek how to deal with the intentions and policies that Turkey wants to follow and another is to suggest without negotiation to accept funds, which based on the parameters of the Secretary General, were interrelated in the negotiation and not they can negotiate separately, and I am called by some parties to accept without negotiation, issues that must be negotiated for positions of the Greek Cypriot side “.

“We try in every way to consolidate the sense of security that must prevail”

Commenting to a journalist that what is happening may not have been the right time to hold the informal five-party conference, the President said that “the informal one has been determined after three and so many years of trying to resume the dialogue, not at our own risk. but under the responsibility of Turkey, which, pre-empting either Brexit or elections, under many pretexts, came at some point to decide that the secretary general must make a new effort in order to find common ground.

Therefore, I do not consider it appropriate or inappropriate at the time it was chosen, it was after consultations, after negotiations, after the failure of so many efforts that our side – I want to emphasize – was always positive. Those who reacted were the Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side. “

Referring to the quadripartite Ministerial Meeting of Cyprus, Greece, Israel and the United Arab Emirates held in Cyprus, the President of the Republic said: “It is for what we say that Cyprus is a factor of stability, peace and has developed in recent years. -and it is now obvious to everyone, hence the reactions of Turkey- close friendly relations with all neighboring countries and not only, but also with the countries of the Arabian Gulf.

We are trying in every way to consolidate the sense of security that must prevail not only in the Eastern Mediterranean, but in the Mediterranean in general. “We are trying to contribute to peace, we are not excluding anyone, we are trying to send a message to Turkey that it can participate as long as international law is respected and, therefore, it is a continuation of a policy that wants peace, stability in the region and beyond.”