CYPRIOTS have a duty toward their country and to themselves to reunite their country and live in peace, President Demetris Christofias has said in his speech marking the 50-year anniversary of the Republic.
“Out of the 50 years of life of the Republic of Cyprus, if we deducted the years of occupation and the years of intercommunal strife, we would be left with only a decade of more or less peaceful and creative co-existence of all citizens of our Republic, irrespective of their community or ethnic background,” Christofias said.
“Both foreign intervention and our own mistakes did not allow us to fulfil this moral duty to the full. As the Republic of Cyprus, we have unfulfilled responsibilities, first and foremost to ourselves.”
Calling Cyprus’ independence “conditional”, in reference to the establishment of the Republic with foreign powers acting as guarantors, Christofias said that the occasion provides an opportunity for “sober and realistic” thought.
“With the wisdom accumulated through both the positive and negative experiences of 50 years, I would like to believe that, our leadership and people alike, have realized that the only path ensuring the future of the Republic is the joint struggle by Greek and Turkish Cypriots.
“It is the peaceful, creative co-existence of all the children of this land in a free and reunited country,” noted Christofias.
Despite the disaster wrought by the 1974 invasion and subsequent occupation, Cypriots can take pride in their country’s swift economic rebound, which is “the foundation on which we base our endeavours for a solution…” the President said.
Reiterating his commitment to a solution that is “under the circumstances, just, viable and workable,” Christofias said his dream was to reunite the island.
“Our dream is to see our people working alongside in peace…for the common good. We look forward to the day when it will not matter whether the person who does us a service is a Greek or Turkish Cypriot. We look forward to that day when, once again, we shall sow and harvest, swipe the sweat off our brow, celebrate and cry together.”
Accepting the model of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation, a “brave and historic compromise,” was a goodwill gesture toward “our Turkish Cypriot countrymen.
“And we do not regret it,” Christofias said.
In his speech, the President said it was no secret that the ongoing negotiations were not moving forward “as we might have liked.”
“We do not hide the fact that we are encountering problems, both with the proposals and approach of the Turkish Cypriot leadership and with Turkey’s policy toward Cyprus and the problem.”
The President put the onus for the lack of progress on Turkey, whom he blamed for stalling, and said its words did not match its deeds:
“Turkey constantly drums up the fact it wants a solution by the end of the year. Let her make the necessary steps, let her fulfil her commitments toward the European Union, and we are ready.
“I have said it many times before, and I repeat this now: let Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side try us out. They will be [pleasantly] surprised,” Christofias said.
On recent three-point package of proposals for the occupied town of Famagusta, the President said that, if accepted by Turkey, it could provide the momentum for a solution.
In an apparent dig at Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu,. Christofias said Greek Cypriots would “stick to our agreement reached with the former leader of the Turkish Cypriot community [Talat] for a solution based on a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation, with political equality as defined by the United Nations, for one state, one sovereignty, one citizenship one international personality.”
