Party leader Nicos Anastassiades slams President’s handling of Annan plan negotiations
THE island’s second largest party, DISY, last night backed a ‘yes’ vote in the April 24 referendum on the Annan plan for a settlement of the Cyprus problem.
During the party’s extraordinary congress last night, 77.6 per cent (686 votes) of grassroots party members voted by a show of hands in favour of a ‘yes’ vote. Meanwhile, 21.3 per cent rejected the proposal to support the plan.
In a fiery speech, DISY chief Nicos Anastassiades defied personal political cost and suggested party members support the ‘yes’ vote. “When are countries lost?” he asked.
“When Cyprus is reunified having as borders Kyrenia, Apostolos Andreas, Famagusta, Larnaca, Limassol, Paphos or when, with a ‘no’ ,they will establish partition, recognise the breakaway state and allow the occupied north to become Turkish?”
Perhaps the most defining moment during last night’s congress was when former Cyprus president, and DISY founder, Glafcos Clerides delivered his speech in favour of the plan. Clerides took the stand immediately after Anastassiades amid a climate of tension and an exchange of slogans between ‘yes’ and ‘no’ supporters.
But when he spoke everyone listened. “Our country’s future will not be judged with ‘yes’ and ‘no’ signs but should be defined by conscious study, calm and evaluation of everyone’s responsibilities, always respecting opposing views,” Clerides said.
He quoted Greek politician Eleftherios Venizelos, who on April 22, 1911 said that no one should hesitate to risk their popularity if it was to support the interest of the country. He warned that a ‘no’ vote would effectively mean “burying the land of our fathers”.
“As an 85-year-old man, I’d rather die than see this end to the struggles of Cypriot Hellenism,” Clerides said amid a roar of applause.
He said he had been branded a traitor when he warned that the only possible solution was a bi-zonal federation. He was also criticised when he suggested that Cyprus could join the European Union.
“I am the man who warned that there would be dramatic developments in the Cyprus problem in 2004. I am the man who is telling you now, without having any interest because I am out of politics, do not have any property in the north or elsewhere; I am the man with 50 years of experience in negotiations… and with my experience, I put my hand on the Holy Bible and swear: My assertions are not done for any other reason and let us be proven wrong, but they are serious and responsible assertions, that the dangers we face from a ‘no’ would be the burial of the land of our fathers,” Clerides said.
Anastassiades effectively shredded the April 7 presidential declaration during which Tassos Papadopoulos trashed the Annan plan. He wondered how convincing Papadopoulos could be when to the question: what do we do after saying ‘no’? he replied: “we won’t cease to fight for the solution of the Cyprus problem; the story does not finish on May 1.
“We will continue to assume initiatives for a solution and promote measures to support our Turkish Cypriot compatriots.”
“This ladies and gentlemen is the President’s alternative proposal to those he’s asking to reject the UN plan,” Anastassiades said.
The DISY chief accused the President of misinforming the people when claiming that none of the Greek Cypriot side’s demands during negotiations in Switzerland had been met.
He went on to list the advantages of the plan for the Greek Cypriot side and although conceding that a large number of Turkish settlers would be staying, he said it would be the lesser evil considering that a ‘no’ vote would mean all of them staying.
Anastassiades questioned Papadopoulos’ intentions when he refused to submit the Greek Cypriot side’s positions on what was accepted and rejected from the Turkish Cypriot demands. “In what negotiation do you ask for things in exchange, after the other side got what it wanted?”
He pointed out that despite knowing the talks had entered a give and take procedure on March 11, the Greek Cypriot side’s document listing its demands was tabled on March 30, when the fourth plan had already been handed over to the two sides on March 29.
Anastassiades warned that the consequences of a ‘no’ vote would be dire for Greek Cypriots, adding that as early as yesterday, Cypriot deputies in the European Parliament felt isolated even from Greek MEPs.
The danger of partition was imminent and Cyprus would find itself isolated from the international community who would ignore any future pleas to help resolve the Cyprus problem, he said.
“…I would be feeling incompetent if in this critical hour, I was carried away by the popular current to be likable and at the same time co-responsible for all that is going to follow from the rejection of the proposed solution.”
He added: “This is the time of truth; it is the time when history knocks on our door and I won’t ignore it. So please let us turn this opportunity into a collective choice.
“A choice that with a ‘yes’ in the referendum that would open the way for Cyprus’ reunification,” the DISY chief said.
