With a eulogy for the victims of the Turkish invasion of 1974, the protest demonstration of EDEK against the opening of the Deryneia roadblock and against the ongoing and illegal occupation began shortly after 20:00. The event of EDEK takes place at the Cultural Center of Occupied Famagusta in Deryneia with a speaker the president of the party, Marino Sizopoulos.
Representatives of the parties DIKO, Solidarity and Ecologists as well as community leaders and members of community councils of Famagusta have laid wreaths at the event. The father of the hero Solomos Solomos, who was assassinated by Turks in August 1996, was also present at the event. The attendees hold Cypriot and Greek flags as well as EDEK flags. The presence of members of the Youth is also possible, wearing jerseys of Doros Loizos and holding banners with the slogan: Know that we will return faithful in your spring.
There is a police presence at the scene.
Sizopoulos: Wrong action the opening of the Deryneia roadblock
At the podium of the event, is the president of EDEK Marinos Sizopoulos, before whose speech a one-minute silence was observed in memory of the fallen and Stylianos Efstathios, son of EDEK MP Kostis Efstathiou, who passed away last week.
In his speech, Mr. Sizopoulos referred to the Government's decision to consent to the opening of the Deryneia roadblock, noting, among other things, that this is another wrong action for both political and economic reasons.
The following is the speech of M. Sizopoulos:
"Time does not heal wounds as long as the consequences of betrayal mark our lives and thoughts. Anger is not tamed as long as the occupation flag hurts the Pentadactylus and brutally evokes feelings and dignity. The nightmares do not end as long as the ancestral homes are under occupation and the thousand-year-old Greek cultural history is in a hurry. The decision for resistance is not reversed as long as the barbed wire of the occupation divides our homeland and hurts our state sovereignty. The tasks continue to be pending as long as the sacrifice of the fighters for democracy, freedom and the innocent victims of Turkish barbarism remains unjust.
There is no place for those in the fighting army:
>> fainted and knelt in the middle of the army,
>> they face the occupation flag at Pentadaktylos and their anger does not drown them,
>> they worship at the tombs of our heroes and return to their homes with a clear conscience,
>> they write off their father for some silver.
The conqueror in the new world order is trying to become a regional governor with an international scope, to integrate Cyprus as part of its vital space, while at the same time receiving, with our tolerance, praise for a supposedly constructive attitude.
And we, the faithful and humble pilgrims, 44 years after the treacherous coup of the Athens junta and EOKA II and the Turkish invasion and the ongoing occupation, are here today, in a sad but proud meeting. Looking at the deserted city of Evagoras, the memory turns to the past and focuses on those who with their treacherous actions and decisions led our country to the destruction and the surrender of the ancestral land to the Turkish conquerors.
Historical self-knowledge is an imperative, not for the purpose of healing the wounds of the past, but to avoid repeating the same or even worse mistakes.
Today's rally brings back to the fore the case of the city of Famagusta. The manner of abandonment and surrender to the conquerors. Famagusta was outside the Turkish plans. GEEF briefing by Stocker. The retreat of E.F. in the English and not in strengthening the defense of the city.
V. Lyssaridis' appeal for the reinforcement of the city on August 15 was not broadcast by RIK.
The non-resistance occupation of the city enabled Turkey to use it for the purpose of exerting pressure and enforcing the solution it wanted for the Cyprus issue. This tactic continues to this day.
The Kyprianou-Denktash Agreement of 1979 provided for the return of the people of Famagusta as a matter of priority at the beginning of the talks and regardless of the end of the talks.
This provision was repeated in the resolutions of the SA. 541 and 550.
The return of the city to its rightful inhabitants had to be claimed as a matter of priority.
Wrong is the position of the PD to return the city on the first day of the solution and its connection with the solution. This position violates the provisions of the relevant decisions of the SA.
The opening of the Deryneia roadblock is another wrong action for political and economic reasons.
Proponents of her case have been working to make the actual transcript of this statement available online. However, the measures also include the opening of the Pyroios passage and the Kokkina roadblock. Why don't they insist on opening them too?
Why do not they claim that the Turkish flag should be lowered from the Pentadactylus, which is brutally causing our pride.
Why aren't they protesting against the provocative events and celebrations in the Reds, about the bombings of August 1964 that cost the lives of innocent civilians?
Why aren't they protesting against the use of EU money to cover up the occupation of destroying the bones of our missing compatriots?
These actions do not affect the climate of the talks, only our insistence on keeping the agreements affects the talks and we should like to be completely submissive to the calls and wishes of either Turkey or third parties who do not want to take over. their own responsibilities?
The political reasons for our opposition include the fact that the contribution, unfortunately with our consent, to the increase of the tourist current in the occupied city of Famagusta, will eventually eliminate the possibility of its return to its legal inhabitants.
All those who are interested in the alleged contacts with the Turkish Cypriots, why do they not put pressure on the opening of the roadblock to be combined with the return of Famagusta?
Economic reasons (in times of economic crisis) include:
>> the reduction of the turnover of the tourist and food units of the area,
>> the strengthening of unfair competition due to the tax regime in the occupied territories,
>> tackling sustainability problems, both for businesses and farmers in the area,
>> the proportional reduction of wages and / or the number of employees with the consequent increase of unemployment and the reduction of family income,
>> the systematic and provocative violation of the Green Line Regulation,
>> the great loss of state revenue mainly due to fuel.
In essence, opening up will financially strengthen the occupation. It does not affect the contacts with the T / Cs, as some claim later. And if the opening will really contribute to the resolution of the Cyprus problem, it is true that since 2003, when roadblocks were opened, we are one step closer to the solution or many steps away from the solution.
The government must reflect and reconsider its decision.
All this is taking place at a time when the UN Secretary-General's envoy is taking the initiative to explore the possibility of resuming talks.
Both the PTA and other political forces and organizations support the resumption of talks since they collapsed in Crans Montana last July.
In the 5-part process the process collapsed under the weight of Turkish intransigence. However, he left as a legacy the 6-point framework submitted by the UN Secretary General as a basis for discussion and in case of an agreement, the signing of an "interim strategic agreement".
Some have reduced the framework of the G.G. on a gospel and exclusive basis for continuing conversations. It is important to know what the 6 points are, to analyze them carefully, to identify the positives and the negatives and to confirm if they correspond:
In the decisions and the UN Charter,
The Universal and European Declaration of Human Rights, and
The European Acquis.
The 6 points of the document of G.G. is:
Abolish the 1960 Guarantee Treaty and invasive rights and replace it with a new security system that satisfies both communities.
Dramatic reduction of foreign troops on the first day of the solution.
The number that will remain after the solution
The time of their stay, and
Whether the stay will have an expiration date or review will be decided by the leaders of the guarantor countries.
Concession to Turkish nationals of the 4 freedoms of the EU. and determining the proportion of their stay in Cyprus either in the form of permanent establishment or the acquisition of citizenship in relation to the Greeks if it will be 4: 1 as suggested by the e / Cypriot side or 1: 1 as proposed by the / Cypriot side.
Further extension of the numerical equation and the positive vote of the T / Cypriots for each decision in the institutions of the state
In the areas that will remain under t / Cypriot control, the users will have the first say in the properties, but not 100%. Respectively, in the areas that will be liberated and will return under the control of the Cypriots, the first reason should be given to the legal owners, but also not at a rate of 100%.
In the territorial to take into account the sensitivity of the Cypriots for the return of the region of Morphou.
It is easy to understand that the framework of the GG does not meet the three basic parameters mentioned above. Its acceptance is not going to lead to a democratic and sustainable solution. The signing of an interim strategic agreement will degrade the Republic of Cyprus at the community level and will undermine the accepted principle that "nothing is valid unless everything is agreed".
Continuing the talks from the point where they were interrupted in Crans Montana will be another serious tactical mistake. In essence, we will agree to continue the dialogue within the framework imposed by Turkey.
The experience of the 42 years of talks so far requires a change of tactics to effectively deal with Turkish expansionist plans and take initiatives that will put Turkey in a difficult political and economic position.
Based on the existing data, the formulation of a unified Cyprus-Greece policy is necessary and necessary. The two countries must focus their efforts on upgrading their geostrategic role in the region.
The upgrade can be based on three main pillars:
The Politician
Focusing on the EU and the UN.
Regarding the EU the aim should be to prevent any upgrading of trade and economic relations with Turkey. Especially at this time when the Turkish economy is entering a period of recession, it is important to limit EU financial assistance.
It is utopia to believe that there is an intention either from the Turkish government or from the leading EU countries. for full membership of Turkey in the EU
What they both want is a special regime. This is convenient for Turkey because while it will not be obliged to democratize its state system and the power of the ruling political class will not be questioned, it will at the same time be able to enjoy the economic advantages of the agreement and absorb European funds, but also the leading EU countries to use on the one hand the cheap labor in Turkey for the production of their products and on the other hand as a large market for their sale.
The suspension of the upgrading of these relations may provoke controversy within the Turkish political system due to differences of interest, without ruling out the possibility that this could lead to a halt to Ankara's expansionist policy against Greece, an end to the Aegean challenges and a consensus for finding a democratic solution. in the Cypriot.
The political framework of this tactic must include Turkey's compliance with the provisions of the Treaty of Lausanne of 1923 and the implementation of its Cypriot obligations to the EU. in September 2005.
Regarding the UN the utilization of decisions of the General Assembly. and S.A. focusing on the request for convening an International Conference on the Cyprus issue with the participation of the 5 permanent members of the SA. of the EU of the guarantor countries and the K.D. with the sole issue of the implementation of UN decisions for the international aspect of the Cypriot issue and specifically:
The complete withdrawal of the occupying troops,
The abolition of the treaty of guarantee and alliance,
The repatriation of settlers, and
The return of refugees to safe conditions.
We do not have illusions that the implementation of the above is easy. But the obsession with them:
Suspends the upgrading of the occupation regime and the risks it entails,
It restores the Cypriot issue to its proper basis as a problem of invasion, continued occupation and ethnic cleansing. At the same time, it removes it from the dangerous confinement in its bi-communal aspect, where it relieves Turkey of its responsibilities and turns the occupation regime into a "politically equal partner", and finally
It frees the solution of the Cyprus problem from the suffocating control of the American-British factor which created it to secure its geostrategic interests in the sensitive region of the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East.
The energy
Its careful and multi-layered utilization will help to partially balance the interests of the forces involved in the region.
We have already mentioned above Ankara's energy plans and the tactics that follow for their implementation.
Their implementation, however, is currently bringing it into conflict with two other powerful countries in the region. Israel and Egypt.
Based on these data, Greece and Cyprus must plan their own tactics and with careful and upgraded scaling to promote its implementation. Our suggestions are specific:
Further upgrade of the tripartite agreements signed with the other countries in the region, so that in addition to exploitation, they also include trade and geostrategic sectors.
Involvement of powerful companies in exploitation with prior investigation by the governments of the countries from which they come to offer coverage in the face of Turkish challenges.
Demarcation of the continental shelf of Greece - Cyprus and Egypt.
Immediate activation of the construction of the Eastern Mediterranean pipeline (EastMed) for transport of VAT. in Europe. This will put an end to Turkish plans for a pipeline through Turkey, provide energy efficiency in Central Europe and lead to a partial balancing of these countries' economic and trade interests in relation to Turkey.
The military
The implementation of the two previous pillars will be significantly enhanced by similar military support, which Cyprus is unable to offer. However, in cooperation with Greece, the data change significantly.
In addition, Greece must not limit its geostrategic role in the Balkans. It must expand it to the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East. It can achieve this by exploiting Cyprus. Mistakes by Greek governments in the past have limited this possibility and strengthened Turkish policy.
The opportunity is still there. The conditions today are suitable for close military cooperation between Greece and Cyprus.
In this context, it is important to activate the Doctrine of the Single Defense Area and to strengthen the presence of the Greek army in Cyprus, both numerically and militarily.
It must be understood that the struggle against Turkish expansion is common. Cyprus is not the advanced outpost of Hellenism, but the last. If the battle of Cyprus is lost, the battle of Thrace and the Aegean will also be lost.
Based on the above principles, it is difficult to overturn the current data, but it is possible. As long as we believe in it and fight for it.
We must not allow injustice to prevail and be the last generation of Greeks in Cyprus.
This must be the contract of honor of an entire people with history and the nation.
It is not possible for these lands, the eternal Greeks, to be handed over to the enemies with our signature.
In this struggle no one, either alive or dead, is entitled to absence.
Until the liberation of our occupied territories we are obliged to pay tribute to the memory of our heroes, to submit our report every year and to reiterate the promise that we will not allow the Republic of Cyprus which was established and survived with sacrifices and blood of heroes to catalyzed by signing policies ".
Source: Liberal