A new strategy grounded on the bitter experiences of the deadlock of the last four decades is the only way out, said President of the House of Representatives Yiannakis Omirou in his speech at an annual national commemoration.
Pointing out that times are crucial for Cyprus and that Turkey is escalating its aggressive policy, Omirou said that the denouncement of the Turkish stance is the only way out and the only option being offered, adding that any other concept and practice has proved, during the last forty years, that leads to a gradual realisation of the Turkish targets.
He further said that the announcement by the Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, for the creation and sending of a platform for exploration and extraction of natural gas, revealed beyond any doubt the Turkish targets.
Omirou stressed the need for strict representations and requests to EU and the UN and direct approach of traditional friends and allies of Cyprus such as Russia, France and China, that are permanent members of the Security Council. He added that “we must abandon illusions about changing the attitude of our supposedly friends that act firmly to undermine our national rights.”
He also talked about the need for multi-level cooperation in the region with friendly countries, as Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Jordan and the wider Arab world and exploitation of the European membership of Cyprus, “without inhibitions and hesitations”. He noted that Turkey, violates the responsibilities conferred to it by the European Council, concerning both the EU and Cyprus, and suggested that Cyprus should veto any attempt to continue the accession process of Turkey.
The Republic of Cyprus, an EU member state since 2004, has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. UN led talks to reunify the country under a federal roof have failed so far due to Turkey`s intransigent stance and policy of a `two state` solution on the island. Turkey, which is an EU candidate country, violates international law and human rights in Cyprus since the invasion in 1974. Numerous resolutions and decisions by international and European organisations calling Ankara to withdraw its troops from Cyprus were not respected by Turkey.
In October 2014 President Anastasiades suspended his participation in the Cyprus talks following a Navigational Telex or NAVTEX, issued by Turkey in October last year, as Turkish seismic research vessel “Barbaros” violated the Republic’s exclusive economic zone. Repeated calls for the withdrawal of “Barbaros” went unheeded by Ankara, which announced in January the NAVTEX`s extension until April 6, 2015.
