By George Psyllides
THE GOVERNMENT yesterday restated its strong objection to the opening of the occupied Famagusta port while the Turkish Cypriot side appeared reluctant to restart negotiations on the Cyprus problem.
“There is no issue to discuss concerning the opening of the Famagusta port,” Government Spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides said.
Regarding the handing over of Varoshia, which has been closed since 1974, Chrysostomides said the Republic’s permanent demand was for it to be given either directly to the Republic or the United Nations for its legal residents to return.
Chrysostomides stressed the government did not want negotiations on the substance of the Cyprus problem to be relegated to discussions related to confidence building measures.
“The Greek Cypriot side, the President and the National Council repeat that they are ready for direct negotiations on the substance of the Cyprus problem, as was our position in The Hague,” Chrysostomides said.
Foreign Minister George Iacovou suggested yesterday that Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan could announce the hand over of Varosha during his visit to Cyprus on Friday, stressing the government would not accept the opening of the Famagusta port.
“The government cannot accept the opening of ports and airports to enable (Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf) Denktash to export goods unhindered and take in visitors from around the world legally,” Iacovou said.
The minister said he had no specific information on what Erdogan would announce during his visit, adding something was expected in view of the isolation Turkey was experiencing and the negative climate in the country following the signing of the EU accession treaty by Cyprus on April 16.
But the leader of the Turkish Cypriot Democratic party Serdar Denktash yesterday said Erdogan would not be unveiling any measures during his visit.
Speaking after a meeting between Greek and Turkish Cypriot parties during which he rejected a proposal to restart negotiations on the Cyprus problem, Denktash said he did not expect Erdogan to announce any measures and added it was not the time to restart negotiations.
“From the start of this new era (partial lifting of movement restrictions), the Democratic Party supported that the UN, EU and USA should for the time being remain observers and should not intervene,” Denktash said.
He added: “What we wish is to let the people come to a point where they could understand each other and problems would be solved.”
He said it was too early to conclude the two communities could live together, adding it would be better to wait a few more weeks before any initiatives were taken to solve the Cyprus problem.
Former president and leader of the United Democrats George Vasilliou, who had tabled the proposal to restart negotiations, said the only one who disagreed was Serdar Denktash who insisted that more time was needed.
Vassiliou said it was obvious that parties aligned with the Turkish Cypriot leader where trying to keep the UN out of any efforts to solve the Cyprus problem adding that such an attempt was sure to fail.
The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.
