The political leaders will not accompany the President of the Republic to Mon Peleran, Switzerland, following a decision taken by the National Council, which recently concluded its meeting. According to the statements of the political leaders after the end of the meeting, this decision was a personal wish of the President.
President Anastasiadis briefed the leaders of the parliamentary parties on the latest developments on the table and exchanged views on the next steps.
The President announced the day before yesterday that he would inform the parties and expects their support. President Anastasiadis will be accompanied in Mont Peleran by his close associates, legal advisers and experts, a group of around 25 people.
Statements by a Deputy Government Spokesman
Political parties will not accompany the President of the Republic to Mon Peleran on November 7-11, where the territorial issue will be discussed mainly, Deputy Government Spokesman Victor Papadopoulos announced after the long meeting of the National Council.
He said that there was an exchange of views and dialogue regarding the upcoming talks in Mon Peleran and what will be the attitude of the Greek Cypriot side to what may arise.
Within days, according to Mr. Papadopoulos, the National Committee will meet under the negotiator Andreas Mavrogiannis to have a thorough discussion on the territorial issue before President Anastasiadis leaves for Switzerland.
The President of the Republic will be accompanied to Switzerland by the members of his negotiating team and his close associates, said the Deputy KE.
He also said that the President of the Republic informed the party leaders in detail about what happened since the last meeting of the National in the talks, but also abroad, and exchanged views and analyzed the international and regional environment in which the conversations. Additions, views and concerns were expressed, as well as suggestions.
Commenting on the opposition's strong reservations about the issue of territorial guarantees in Switzerland, Mr Papadopoulos said it was a clear issue in New York.
He added that both the moves and the tactics and strategy followed all this time convinced New York that the two issues would be discussed separately.
In Mont Peleran, he said, the territorial issue will be discussed mainly, as the UN statement says, but also some other open issues, some other points and disagreements on other issues.
The leaders of the parties made statements on the occasion of the Presidential Palace today.
Ab. Neophytou: We must be pragmatic in the Cyprus issue
It is time to deal with the political situation in our country with pragmatism, said the President of DISY Averof Neophytou, after the end of the meeting of the National Council, noting the risks that lurk in case of non-solution of the Cyprus problem.
The President of DISY spoke about a productive discussion, during which President Anastasiadis briefed the National Council on the latest meetings in the negotiations, as well as on his meetings with the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and with the French Minister. Abroad.
He said that DISY, for its part, expressed its position and "the wish to the President of the Republic to do everything possible to break this impasse that has kept our country divided since 1974".
Averof Neophytou said that the National Party had heard the concerns of many parties about the possible dangers of the solution. "We are recording them and we are not ignoring them," he said, adding, however, that DISY "is also concerned about the risk of the Cyprus issue not being resolved." He specifically asked, without a solution to the Cyprus problem, how many Turkish soldiers will leave, how we will get rid of Turkish guarantees, how many refugees will return to their homes, how many Greek Cypriot land stairs will be given to legal owners, how many settlers will leave and who hundreds of thousands more settlers to come.
"The views of the parties are respected," said Mr. Neophytou, adding that as a politician he seeks national reconciliation.
"But we must be pragmatic on the Cyprus issue. We cannot find all the parties converging on the biggest issue that concerns the Cypriot citizens. For one simple reason: our leadership has been negotiating for decades in a specific framework for resolving the Cyprus issue, based on UN Security Council resolutions, the bi-zonal bi-communal federation, "he said, noting that four of the eight political parties in the National Council do not accept the bi-zonal bi-communal federation: ELAM, Ecologists, Solidarity and EDEK. The fifth, the Citizens' Alliance, is discussing the federation, but does not accept the bi-communal federation, he said. So five of the eight parties disagree with the framework of the solution that the e / k accepted with the agreements of Makarios - Denktash and Kyprianou - Denktash and that refers to the resolutions of the UN SA "to which we all refer" he added.
The President of DISY said that "it is time with a pragmatism to face the political conditions in our country".
"I want to believe that there will be the necessary correct positions on the part of the international community and that they will fully understand the positions of the President of the Republic," he said.
It is a success, he said, for Nikos Anastasiadis that the issue of territorial is entering into an intensive dialogue.
Finally, he agreed with the Spokesman of ELAM, on the issue of non-transition of political leaders in Switzerland with the President, saying that those who in the President's proposal a few weeks ago to accompany him abroad if the territorial debate took place were opposed to their participation, today they said they were not wrong. By always taking the opposite direction, we are not helping in this critical phase, he added.
A. Kyprianou: Not in the process of giving and giving to Switzerland
Under no circumstances should President Anastasiadis enter into a process of re-entering the upcoming meeting with the Turkish leader, which will take place in Switzerland, said AKEL Secretary General Andros Kyprianou.
In statements after the end of today's meeting of the National Council, Andros Kyprianou said that there is no common line between the parties and that the decision of the President not to go with him to Switzerland by the political leaders is respected.
This week, according to Mr. Kyprianou, the subcommittee of the National Council will meet to deal with the territorial issues and there will be an effort to form a more consensual basis, on which the President's efforts will be based.
As he stated at today's meeting of the National, the President informed the party leaders about the progress that has been made during the last meetings with the T / C leader, in October, and at the same time informed about what is planned. to discuss going to Switzerland.
"The meeting in Switzerland will be very decisive because it will determine the further steps in the Cyprus issue. Either we will be led to a process that will contribute to a greater impetus to the efforts for a solution, or we will be led to a shipwreck. It is very important for our side to be well prepared, ready to negotiate with the will and desire to reach a convergence on as many issues as possible, so that the way is open to discuss the most difficult issue of security, that is, of guarantees and demilitarization ", noted Mr. Kyprianou.
He said AKEL had submitted its views to the President of the Republic on how to deal with the major issues that will be raised during the meeting in Mont Pellerin and "we have said that it should not be in any way in the process. -give it. It does not bother us to discuss the five chapters, but as separate chapters. We are not yet within the scope of such an agreement to allow the process to take place. "
He added: "We have not yet touched on the huge amount of security."
Regarding the issues of the transition of the National Council together with the President in Switzerland, Mr. Kyprianou said that AKEL informed the President that he is at his disposal, "he took the decisions and we respect the decisions of its President. Democracy ".
Answering a question, AKEL's secretary general said that "a common line is very difficult to find given the positions of the political parties regarding the essence of the solution of the Cyprus problem. There are political parties that disagree with the federation. Therefore, there can be no common line. "
N. Papadopoulos: The interconnection of territorial with other chapters is wrong
DIKO President Nikolas Papadopoulos expressed his disagreement with the possibility of linking the territory with other funds of the Cyprus issue, adding that there is no point in moving to Switzerland if the Turkish side does not present a map.
In statements after the end of the National Council, Mr. Papadopoulos said that "some people want us to go to Switzerland and instead of asking Turkey what it will give us in the territory, to make new concessions."
"We disagree with such an approach," he said. "We consider it wrong to link the territorial debate with other chapters of the Cyprus issue." The whole idea was to go abroad to discuss the territory, where for the first time Turkey would present a map with its own proposals for the return of territories. "
However, he noted that "we see, on the contrary, that the attempt of Mr. Akinci, the occupying leader, but also of the Turkish side is to get out of this debate, to find good ways to discuss vague general, subjective criteria ostensibly, contrary to the what we are looking for is a map. "
"We have asked the President of the Republic to demand in Switzerland that the Turkish side present a map, otherwise there is no point in going abroad," Papadopoulos continued.
Saying that DIKO suggested that President Anastasiadis be accompanied by members of the National Council, as he believes that they can support him and help him "face any pressure", Mr. Papadopoulos added that unfortunately the President rejected this proposal.
Mr. Papadopoulos said that DIKO is at the disposal of the President "to discuss with our constructive disposition to propose suggestions and solutions to the various issues that he finds in front of him".
"All we are asking for," he said, "is what the President of the Republic himself demands that we respect the institution of the Presidency and that he must respect the members of the National Council."
In particular, he called for an end to the blackout, for all relevant documents to be negotiated "so that we can advise him properly and know all the facts we have before us."
"The moments are critical and what is needed now is national reconciliation, not discord and not the attempt of some to be vindicated for 2004," he said.
M. Sizopoulos: The PD should be very careful to avoid pitfalls
Political leaders will not accompany the President of the Republic to Mont Peleran, Switzerland, to discuss the chapter on territorial adjustments, said EDEK President Marinos Sizopoulos, urging the President to be especially careful to avoid traps on the Turkish side.
"Political leaders will not accompany the President of the Republic on the trip to Switzerland, he will be accompanied by his advisers and we will be vigilant and we expect that if and when there is any development, the PDF will have the responsibility to inform us," he said. Mr. Sizopoulos in statements after the end of the meeting of the National Council.
"Everyone can understand that this meeting is taking place at a time when the international environment is not the best," he added.
He said the period was "dangerous in our view and the President of the Republic needs to be very careful as Turkey may try to either advance its own positions or lead the process into a shipwreck through its claims to will be able to activate the second scenario it has, which is the annexation, possibly, of Cypriot territories ".
Mr. Sizopoulos noted that EDEK submitted "specific views and specific suggestions with the main aim of helping the President of the Republic to avoid possible pitfalls that we are sure will exist and to strengthen as much as possible his negotiating position and his argument especially in this difficult and critical time. "
Answering a question, Mr. Sizopoulos said that “based on the way the National Council operates, the members submit their views and the President of the Republic who has the responsibility, in his wisdom, will use what he deems to be better to strengthen his own position and argument. "
G. Lillikas: The meeting in Switzerland is crucial
The President of the Citizens' Alliance, George Lillikas, described the forthcoming meeting of leaders in Switzerland as crucial, noting that the conditions under which negotiations will take place will be unfavorable for the Greek Cypriot side and predicting that the President will accept unbearable pressure.
He also expressed the Alliance's position that political leaders should accompany the President to Switzerland.
"As a Citizens' Alliance, we believe that the meeting and the negotiation that will take place in Switzerland will be crucial. Either it ends in a positive result, or it ends in a stalemate. And it will be crucial because even in the event of a stalemate, we have no doubt that Turkey will move forward with the game of responsibility, which has already begun, and possibly its plans to annex the occupied territories, "said George Lillikas after today's meeting. meeting of the National Council.
He noted that "the international conditions under which this negotiation will take place are unfavorable for our side and favorable to the Turkish side", as well as the whole negotiation framework, given that, as he said, it should be discussed much earlier. the territorial issue and not at the end of the negotiations, which allows, according to Mr. Lillikas, on the Turkish side to insist on its combination with other funds, mainly on the issue of security.
"Even its correlation with other funds will be unfavorable for our side because in terms of security for us it is completely unrelated and in no way should the President of the Republic accept any correlation, but still with the issues. of government. "Since we have made all the concessions and exceeded many security lines, which concern the viability and functionality of the state, there is nothing left that the President will exchange, except perhaps for the eventual rotation of the presidency," he said.
Mr Lillikas also noted that the United States and the European Union are not going to put pressure on Turkey to compromise and show a spirit of consensus on the Cyprus issue, as they are "doing everything in their power to appease Mr Erdogan and restore relations with him." Turkey".
"On the contrary, as we have seen developments with the Turkish invasion of Syria and Iraq, with the attitude of the United States, which allowed the Turks to attack the Kurds who until recently were allies of the United States, we are reasonably concerned that The international community will not hesitate in the Cyprus issue, I am referring mainly to the United States and the European Union, to satisfy Turkey and not our side, "he said.
The President of the Citizens 'Alliance said that in this environment, the negotiating, but also the international, the President will accept unbearable pressure in these negotiations, which is why the Citizens' Alliance, despite its disagreements with the handling of its President Democracy suggested that members of the National Council accompany him to Switzerland.
"Apart from the consultation, we could also be useful to him in this context of exerting any pressure on the President," he said.
Answering a question, he said that from what he has realized, the President's decision is final and that "if there are dramatic developments, then we may just be informed, but not go."
The decision belongs to the President of the Republic, he concluded.
El. Theocharous: Fears of interconnection of the territory with the aspect of security
Eleni Theocharous, President of the Solidarity Movement, reiterated her concern that in Mont Peleran not only the territorial or territorial issue will be discussed in relation to the property issue, but the security aspect will be interconnected.
Speaking to reporters after the National Council meeting, Theocharous described the discussion as "painful", noting that she was still "very afraid of what may have been agreed and to the extent agreed".
"It seems," he added, "that political equality translates at all levels into numerical equality, either with the veto, with the exception, or with the draws."
Saying that the President of the Republic expressed his personal desire for the National Council not to attend the meeting in Mont Peleran, the President of the Solidarity noted that "we will do so, hoping that before there is any outcome we will have a meeting with the President to discuss. what may have arisen from the Swiss meeting. "
"I still fear that the territorial dispute will not be discussed, or in the worst case, an interconnection of the territorial with the property, but there will also be an interconnection with security issues, just as Turkey seeks," he concluded.
G. Perdikis: The Cyprus issue is slipping into a confederation
The President of the Ecologists, George Perdikis, in statements after today's meeting of the National Council, reiterated concerns about the handling of the Cyprus issue.
Today, he said, the standard briefing and very little and fragmentary discussion took place. What is certain, he added, is that the President of the Republic is going to Switzerland without a specific agenda or framework of action by the National Council and in the hope that he will not proceed with a cross-negotiation with the other serious issues that are open.
He said his party was increasingly slipping into a situation similar to that of a confederation, and that the line sought to separate the two regions was more of a border between two states than a simple administrative district.
According to Mr. Perdikis, things are not going in the right direction and the worst thing is that it is being projected by the President and others, as he said, the threat that if no agreement is found by the end of the year, we will have a Asia Minor catastrophe.
"With such a mentality and behavior and a defeatist psychology, one wonders if there is a team or a champion to win the battle," he concluded.
G. Geadis: Only with a united state can the Cyprus issue be resolved
The position that ELAM opposes the federation's solution was repeated by the party's spokesman Geadis Geadis after today's meeting of the National Council.
He said that the Movement has submitted a proposal for a united state because only in this way, he noted, will the Cyprus issue be resolved. If we take an example, he added, from the various federal states, we see that where there was a federation based on ethnic or other linguistic differences, it collapsed.
Mr. Geadis said that the meeting was briefed on what is to come and on the issue of accompanying the political leaders in Mon Peleran.
He said his party had been opposed to talks outside Cyprus from the beginning, adding that some members of the National Party had reacted by not accompanying the PD. Mr. Geadis described this fact as absurd, as, he said, a few days ago they reacted to the holding of the conference abroad and today they want to accompany the President.
He reiterated that ELAM disagrees with the existing framework of the bi-zonal, bi-communal federation and that the ongoing effort for equality and convergence will bring the greatest inequalities and cause a conflict, resulting in the collapse of any solution, as the framework in which we are discussing is unsustainable.
Source: Phileleftheros / KYPE