Greek Cypriot parties belonging to the so-called rejectionist camp still found fault with Mustafa Akinci’s reference to the 1974 events as a war – the first time any Turkish Cypriot leader had used the term.
Akinci’s reference on Monday to 1974 as a ‘war’ rather than the usual descriptor ‘peace operation’, and his acknowledgement that Greek Cypriots also suffered, was greeted by President Nicos Anastasiades.
The Turkish Cypriot leader made the comments during a joint news conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in the north attending events to commemorate July 20, 1974.
But on Tuesday, opposition parties here said Akinci’s softer rhetoric should fool no one.
DIKO took exception with Akinci’s other remark, namely that the Turkish military intervention had ‘rescued’ Turkish Cypriots following a coup instigated by the Greek junta that happened five days earlier, July 15.
In a statement, DIKO leader Nicholas Papadopoulos wondered how the pro-solution camp – the President, ruling DISY and main opposition AKEL – can speak of a ‘good climate’ in the ongoing peace talks.
“Within a month of the long incursion by the Barbaros and Turkish warships inside the Republic’s Exclusive Economic Zone, and without any changes to the long-standing Turkish positions on the substance of the Cyprus problem, suddenly some people have identified a ‘good climate’ for solving the Cyprus issue.”
Papadopoulos asked how some quarters can be optimistic when the Turkish side stills insists on guarantees, the right of intervention, derogations from EU law in a reunified state, “foreign judges, guaranteed majorities, a rotating presidency or the dissolution of the Republic?”
“This is not a good climate, it is a bad climate,” Papadopoulos added.
Socialists EDEK – whose leadership recently rejected a solution based on a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation – discovered a conspiracy to cover up the more contentious remarks made by Erdogan.
On Monday Erdogan had expressed the hope that current reunification talks would bear fruit, adding that this was an opportunity not to be missed.
But he also said: “I hope there will be no need in the future for ‘peace operations’ such as the one we are celebrating today.”
EDEK said the latter remarks were not carried by the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation, and whereas private media outlets did initially post them they then quickly took them down from their websites.
“To EDEK, it is obvious this is no accident. It is an attempt by the known circles to suppress statements which might spoil the ‘temperate’, but fake, climate which they are trying to cultivate in order to mislead and misinform the Cypriot people.”
The Citizens Alliance was alarmed with Akinci’s reference to the need to secure the rights and laws of both communities in a reunified state within the European Union.
“Since when, in the European Union, are communities represented rather than states? Since when do communities have laws?” the party said.
“Does Mr Akinci mean that the solution should protect the laws of the breakaway regime? Or does he mean that Cyprus’ participation in the EU will be based on the divisive and paralysing provisions of the Annan Plan?”
The Citizens Alliance urged President Anastasiades to press Akinci to clarify his positions.
Weighing in, the Greens said their constant warnings of dangerous concessions to the Turkish side are being ignored.
In a statement, the party said that when Anastasiades calls for unity on the home front, what he is really saying is ‘you are with us, or against us’.
“By unity, the President obviously means subservience to his policies. He is not seeking allies, he is seeking proxies, obedient followers and subservient cheerleaders.
“We regret to inform him that we shall not oblige.”
