‘Education and trust the way ahead’

PRESIDENT Tassos Papadopoulos yesterday stressed the need for systematic efforts by the government to gain mutual trust on which the foundations for the reunification of the island can be built.

In an open letter printed in Haravghi, the President said Greek and Turkish Cypriots should learn to work together and communicate through the pathways of our common heritage.
“We need to get over what has divided us in the past by educating the younger generation,” he said.

“We need to take a joint decision that we will reunite the island and that we will never allow bloodshed and divide.”

Papadopoulos said the ‘good neighbourhood relations’ measures shown by Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash were being misinterpreted as steps towards a solution when in fact they are steps that would lead to segregation.

“The solution of the Cyprus problem will create the foundations on which we will build our new home,” he said. “Therefore these foundations must be strong.

“UN Secretary-general Kofi Annan’s plan could be the basis for finding a solution to the Cyprus problem.”

Papadopoulos said it was time to overcome Denktash’s stance and all those in Ankara who support him.

“We must pave the way for a solution and rule out refusal and segregation,” he said.
“My goal as President is to reunify the island so all Cypriots can enjoy the advantages of being a part of a united Europe.”

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.