DISY leader Nicos Anastassiades yesterday launched a blistering attack on the policies of President Demetris Christofias in a speech to party delegates.
He said that the Cyprus problem had now reached a dead end and that the “great opportunity” which was presented for its resolution with Cyprus’s entry to the EU is on the brink of being lost definitively.
“The lack of any prior consultation and understanding has led, unfortunately, to unsuccessful government choices and to the flawed handling of negotiations,” said Anastassiades, adding that these do not permit DISY to “conscientiously interact” with the process “pretending they do not know what is going on”.
Anastassiades stated that DISY refuses to bear any of the responsibility for the current predicament in which the Greek Cypriot side finds itself and that they have always stated, from the beginning, that they give nobody “carte blanche” and that prior consultation is a pre-condition for their support in any talks process or policy approach.
The DISY leader asked when and with whom Christofias had consulted before arriving at the conclusions on which he based his negotiating position on a range of policies from the provisions for the election of a federal president to the proposed mechanism for the resolving of disputes.
Regarding an international conference on the Cyprus problem, Anastassiades said: “When and with whom did he consult before proposing this and who was it that told him that Russia and the US have far stronger ties to the interests of Cyprus than they do to those of Turkey?”
Government spokesman Stefanos Stefanou, in a statement he made in response to Anastassiades’ comments, said: “The President wants a solution soon and is working towards such a solution, as he has often repeated, including at his recent press conference, which he will continue to seek based on ethical principles and showing the necessary realism”.
Speaking in Greece where he has been on an official visit since Friday, Christofias said the Cyprus negotiations have had concrete results, despite the many difficulties.
“There has been progress in the chapter of governance and executive power, a chapter which is very important for the state to function”, he said.
There were still some important issues, which have not been fully agreed, like the executive power and foreign policy, he said.
“We have achieved less convergences in the chapters of economy and European affairs,” he added.
“Despite difficulties and obstacles and problems, through hard negotiations and work, a solution can be reached,” said Christofias.
“There are prospects for a solution. But in order to bear fruit, the Turkish side has to proceed to the negotiations with more constructive positions.”
