By Jean Christou
TWO cabinet ministers and a presidential adviser quit their posts yesterday over the government’s handling of the Russian S-300 missile issue.
Defence Minister Yiannakis Omirou and Education Minister Lycourgos Kappas, along with presidential adviser Alexis Galanos,
handed in their resignations to President Glafcos Clerides. The resignations of the two ministers were in line with Saturday’s decision by their party, socialist Edek, to pull out of the government after Clerides cancelled the missile deal.
Galanos, leader of the Democratic Renewal Party and an adviser to the president, said he had resigned for similar reasons. The resignations were accepted by Clerides at the presidential palace.
“Reasons of political credibility, ethos and honesty made us take this decision,” Omirou said. Speaking to the press he said the missile cancellation – under severe international pressure and Turkish threats – had greatly damaged the sovereign standing of Cyprus. “It was a national humiliation,” Omirou said. “We must now re-assess all the facts and mark out a new course with sincerity, determination and boldness”.
He called on all those who serve in the National Guard to keep their spirits up and continue to defend the interests of the Cyprus Republic.
According to opinion polls, the majority of Cypriots are angry at Clerides for not fulfilling his election promise to deploy the missiles on the island by the end of 1998. Edek leader Vassos Lyssarides was one of the staunchest supporters of the missile deployment and he believed the two UN resolutions passed recently and referred to as a reason for cancellation, did not satisfy the preconditions set by the government.
The two preconditions were substantiative progress on a Cyprus settlement and talks on arms reductions leading to demilitarisation.
The day after the missile cancellation was announced a week ago, the political bureau of Edek decided to suggest to the central committee to abandon the government. The final decision was made on Saturday evening.
Edek deputy Takis Hadjidemetriou said yesterday it is now time for the party to move forward. He expressed satisfaction over Edek’s withdrawal from government, not only because of the missile issue but on the ground of basic ideology. “There is a new path open for Edek,” he said. “Now that Edek has withdrawn from the government internal party differences have been overcome”.
Omirou said it was a time for national unity and he expressed the party’s willingness to contribute to efforts to tackle the “difficult times”. He called for unity of all forces in Cyprus.
Similar calls for a wider government were made by Galanos and United Democrats leader George Vassiliou. “If efforts are made in the future for a widely accepted government, or a government of national unity, then our small party would try to contribute,” Galanos said.
Vassiliou has suggested a postponement of the replacement of the two ministers who resigned. Because a government reshuffle is on the cards within weeks, Vassiliou said there was little point in making the appointments official.
Disy deputy Ouranios Ioannides is almost certain to take over as Education Minister, but it is still unclear whether former civil servant George Charalambides wishes to be appointed as Defence Minister. Speculation was rife yesterday that he did not want the position.
Disy leader Nicos Anastassiades said the problem was nothing more than technical.
