Turkey holds the key for a Cyprus solution, its attitude, however, is undermining the peace process with its provocative acts and threats to apply a “Plan B”, in view of Cyprus’ EU Presidency term in the second half of 2012, Defence Minister Demetris Eliades stressed today.
Speaking during a memorial service, in Nicosia, Eliades said that UN-led talks in Cyprus are on a standstill, while noting that the intransigence and backpedaling of the Turkish side do not allow any room for optimism.
The Minister said that 38 years after the Turkish invasion, the Cypriot tragedy does not come to an end, with settlers from Turkey multiplying in the Turkish-occupied areas, and the continuation of Greek Cypriot property usurpation, the destruction of cultural heritage and the occupation of the islands northern third by Turkish troops.
The good will the Greek Cypriot side alone displays, based on the principles of international and European law and the High Level Agreements of 1977 and 1979, is not enough to reach a viable solution, the Minister went on. He added that Cyprus challenges Turkey’s attitude, calling Ankara to cooperate in a substantive manner to solve the Cyprus problem and turn the island into an area of freedom, peace, coexistence and progress.