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Christofias: Cyprus Belongs to the Cypriots and to No One Else

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  • Christofias: Cyprus Belongs to the Cypriots and to No One Else

    Cyprus News Agency
    March 8 2012

    Christofias: Cyprus Belongs to the Cypriots and to No One Else

    Nicosia, Mar 8 (CNA) -Cyprus belongs to the Cypriots and to no one
    else, President Demetris [Dimitrios] Christofias stressed Thursday
    commenting on statements by Turkish Minister of EU Affairs and Chief
    Negotiator Egemen Bagis statements about the possibility of
    integrating Cyprus' Turkish occupied areas to Turkey.

    Addressing an event, organized in Nicosia on the occasion of the
    International Women's Day, Christofias underlined that the Greek
    Cypriot side has shown good will for a settlement the soonest
    possible, adding that this does not however mean that we will grant to
    anyone the right to impose a settlement.

    He said that a solution will be accepted only if is functional and
    viable the settlement and it reunites the country, its people, the
    institutions and the economy, and it must be based on the
    international and the European law and must secure the human rights
    and the fundamental freedoms of Cypriot citizens.

    "It must be a settlement that will provide for a bizonal, bicommunal
    federation with political equality as defined by the relevant UN
    Security Council resolutions, with a single state, a single and
    undivided sovereignty, a single personality and a single citizenship,"
    he noted.

    Christofias expressed regret and disappointment over the fact that
    Turkey and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu have distanced
    themselves from the fundamental principles of the Cyprus problem.

    "They are also moving away from the convergences in various chapters
    achieved in the framework of the current process of direct
    negotiations. And not only this but also recently both Turkey and
    Eroglu have been launching threats against us," Christofias noted.

    "It is unacceptable and conflicting to attend the negotiations,
    discuss, and at the same time listen to Eroglu making threatening
    statements which constitute a major provocation not only for our side
    but also for the UN and the EU as well," he stressed.

    Christofias said the Turkish side most often refers to B plans for the
    Cyprus problem, which consolidate division and the pseudo-state and
    referred to Bagis' statements about the possibility of integrating
    Cyprus' Turkish areas to Turkey.

    He said these statements humiliate first of all the Turkish Cypriots
    and sent the message to Bagis and all the Turkish leadership that
    "Cyprus belongs to the Cypriots -Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots,
    Armenians, Maronites and Latins and to no one else."

    Christofias said that with its arrogance Turkey is even threatening
    the EU. "We firmly believe that the UN cannot follow this behaviour
    with apathy. The Turkish behaviour constitutes a provocation and an
    insult for the UN," he noted.

    Christofias also made clear once again, that the Greek Cypriot side
    will not accept any time table and the convening of an international
    conference on Cyprus if the preconditions set out by the UN in its
    2002 UN resolution are not met.

    He also noted that such a conference must be attended by the UN
    Security Council permanent members, the guarantor powers, the European
    Union, the Republic of Cyprus and the two communities to look into the
    international aspects of the Cyprus problem.

    Referring to the economy, Christofias said that the government has
    taken since the beginning of the crisis measures aiming at boosting
    the most important sectors of the economy as well as measures to
    support the most vulnerable groups of the population.

    The Cypriot President also expressed his conviction that the
    forthcoming EU Cypriot Presidency will be successful noting that "we
    will keep having our hand extended towards the Turkish Cypriot side,
    despite the fact that there is no response so far."

    Referring to the International Women's Day, Christofias expressed his
    respect for all the women of Cyprus, Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots,
    Maronites, Armenians and Latins and noted that the promotion of
    equality among men and women constitutes an indispensable part of the
    effort for greater social cohesion, for a society in which every
    citizen will enjoy his or her rights.

    Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied
    its northern third. The leaders of the two communities in Cyprus are
    currently engaged in UN-led negotiations with an aim to reunify the
    island.

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