By Charlie Charalambous
PRESIDENT Clerides favours a rotational presidency and is prepared to allow Turkish Cypriot participation in the EU accession talks, Diko leader Spyros Kyprianou has claimed.
At a press conference yesterday, Kyprianou produced two documents from “British officials”, which he said proved Clerides’ “treacherous” intentions. One was a letter from Labour MP Robin Corvett to a Greek Cypriot, and the other a letter from Foreign Office under-secretary Doug Henderson to friend of Cyprus and Labour MP Tom Cox.
Corvett suggests in his letter that it was Clerides, and not then British shadow foreign secretary Robin Cook, who proposed the rotating presidency as far back as 1994.
Meanwhile, Henderson’s letter – dated January 15, 1998 – says “we remain committed to the start of Cyprus-EU accession talks with the participation of the Turkish Cypriots.”
According to Kyprianou, the letters prove Clerides was prepared to strike a deal with Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash on a rotating presidency, and had committed himself to linking Turkish Cypriot participation to the island’s EU accession talks.
“All these points need to be explained,” said Kyprianou.
Foreign Minister Yiannakis Cassoulides said Kyprianou’s accusations could not be treated seriously; Corvett’s view related to a Labour blue-print when they were in opposition.
Last January, Robin Cook, then shadow foreign secretary, visited Cyprus with the blue-print, which included a discussion point for a rotating presidency.
Cassoulides said this approach had been rejected by Clerides, who said “it was not possible for nine per cent of the population to elect a sovereign government.”
The minister suggested that Corvett turned the blame on Clerides to win Greek Cypriot votes for Labour during last May’s election.
Going on the offensive, Cassoulides said that Kyprianou’s vitriol could only be explained by the fact that his own bid for the presidency had not been backed by Clerides.
He questioned why Kyprianou had stayed in the alliance government if he had proof that Clerides was ready to make significant concessions.
“If Clerides supported Kyprianou for the presidency there would not be an issue over Corvett.”
On the issue of Turkish Cypriot participation in EU talks, Cassoulides said British Prime Minister Tony Blair had made it quite clear that Turkish Cypriot participation was desired, but was not a precondition.
The main thrust of the rest of the campaigning yesterday made a detour from the national issue and concentrated on health and education.
Edek spokesman Yiannakis Omirou said his party would fight to push through a comprehensive national health scheme, and chastised the government for dragging its feet over the last five years.
Diko rebel candidate Alexis Galanos and the Free Democrats’ George Vassiliou both trumpeted education as being high on their agenda.
Galanos said he would take politics out of education and invest in the quality of teaching.
Vassiliou promised he would champion the idea of having all-day schools and developing the Cyprus University.
Meanwhile, Disy leader Nicos Anastassiades slammed George Iacovou for saying the government had overseen the worst economic slump the island had ever seen.
He said that Iacovou’s negative attitude did more harm than good and was contrary to the opinion of international organisations that respected the government’s economic performance.
In turn Iacovou, took a swipe at Clerides’ “grand finale” on the Cyprus issue, by suggesting he was preparing for a “grand clear out sale” instead.
An independent poll conducted by Larnaca’s PA College gives Iacovou (35.21 per cent) a slender lead over President Clerides (34.69 per cent) in the first round.
This contradicts an earlier CYBC poll which put Clerides four per cent ahead in the first ballot.
According to PA College, a second round face-off between Iacovou (42.59 per cent) and Clerides (42.66 per cent) has them neck and neck.
