Andreas Mavroyiannis holds meetings with political party leaders in Athens
7 October 2022, Press Release Andreas Mavroyiannis
Andreas Mavroyiannis, independent candidate for the Presidency of the Republic, held meetings with three political party leaders today, as part of his three-day visit to Athens.
At 10 a.m., A.Mavroyiannis met with the General Secretary of the Central Committee of KKE, Demetris Koutsoumbas, at his offices in Perissos. Andreas Mavroyiannis outlined his positions on the domestic political scene in Cyprus, the economy and labour relations.
Andreas Mavroyiannis subsequently met with the President of PASOK – Movement for Change, Nikos Androulakis, at the Greek Parliament, where they exchanged views on the Cyprus problem, relations between the two states and EU –Turkey relations.
In his statements made shortly before the start of the meeting, Nikos Androulakis, welcoming Andreas Mavroyiannis and wishing him success in the presidential elections, stressed that we must work for the resumption of the negotiations and the solution of the Cyprus problem, based on the UN resolutions.
He went on to say that we are at a time when Turkey is escalating its provocations against the Republic of Cyprus with its illegal actions in Varosha and of course against Greece with its rhetoric and threats.
“This is why the international community, especially the EU, must take initiatives, also by applying an arms embargo against an international agitator like Turkey, but of course also with a change in relations. A country that has no respect for international law and violates human rights within its borders in a violent and brutal way cannot be a member state,” he added.
Nikos Androulakis concluded by saying that we must move towards a special relationship where there will be automated sanctions, economic sanctions for the good of the wider region and for the good of the Turkish people themselves, who obviously do not want to live in this very difficult situation.
On his part, Andreas Mavroyiannis thanked Mr. Androulakis for “this opportunity to receive us here today and of course for everything he has mentioned. We will be informed about where things stand today and we will also explain our own positions which is in the direction that the President of PASOK has mentioned, so that we can finally find the way to resume the negotiation procedure for the solution of the Cyprus problem, but also to address all the major challenges we are facing in the Eastern Mediterranean, in Greek-Turkish relations and in our wider region”, he said.
Regarding the European Union, Andreas Mavroyiannis stressed that we must certainly find ways to make it “an arena governed by the rule of law and that does not implement policies based on double standards, an area that will be at the service of citizens, peace and security”.
Today’s meetings concluded with an afternoon visit to the offices of SYRIZA – Progressive Alliance, where A.Mavroyiannis briefed Alexis Tsipras about the stalemate on the Cyprus problem, but also about the internal issues Cypriot citizens are facing. In turn, Alexis Tsipras informed A.Mavroyiannis about the contacts he had at the European Socialists’ pre-summit meeting and with the EU High Representative, Mr. Borrell.
At the same time, A.Tsipras said that “the message must be conveyed to Turkey that there is a prospect for a new EU-Turkish relationship, but also for positive steps in its accession process, provided that it chooses to purse the path of peace, the defence of human rights and diplomacy, on the basis of international law. And this path is not promoted by promoting unacceptable partitionist solutions, but through a just and viable solution to the Cyprus problem on the basis of UN Resolutions, without guarantees and occupying troops, on the basis of Bizonal, Bicommunal Federation with political equality”.
In conclusion, A. Mavroyiannis stressed that the progressive forces in Greece, Cyprus and Turkey must stand up against those forces trying to convince citizens that such a solution is not possible.
