Don’t expect any more bi-communal events: Turkish Cypriot youth movements bitter at Greek Cypriot attitudes

THE youth wings of six pro-solution Turkish Cypriot political parties yesterday issued a stark warning to what the describe as “previously pro-solution” youth wings of Greek Cypriot political parties that they would break off bicommunal activities if they continued their new anti-Annan plan stance.

At a news conference in the Ledra Palace Hotel in the buffer zone in Nicosia, representatives of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), Peace and Democracy Movement (BDH), Solution and EU Party (CABP), Communal Liberation Party (TKP), Patriotic Unity Party (YBH) and the Cyprus Socialist Party (KSP) read out a statement saying, “We see all the leaders of parties promoting a ‘no’ as part of the status quo and…it will be impossible for us to continue our relations with their youth organisations and take part in any future bi-communal youth events until the referendum.”

The representatives accused their Greek Cypriot counterparts of reneging on a declaration signed on March 28 by the six Turkish Cypriot parties and the youth wings of Greek Cypriot EDON, NEDISY, NEDIK, NEOS, ONED and the Young Environmentalists.
The declaration expressed support for UN-sponsored negotiations and a solution based on the Annan plan.

Asked whether they were angered by the negative attitude of the majority of Greek Cypriot political parties towards the plan, one representative said: “We are not so much angered as disappointed.”

The representatives coupled their warning with a call for voters in the south not to vote along party lines, but to back the plan in the interest of securing a united island before Cyprus joins the EU on May 1.

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