A provocative, cruel and arrogant Turkey with imperialistic intentions renders the task of the Greek Cypriot side to bring about a settlement to the Cyprus problem even more difficult and arduous, President of the House of Representatives Demetris Syllouris said on Sunday.
Addressing a ceremony to commemorate the members of the community of Aheritou who lost their lives during the 1974 Turkish invasion, Syllouris said that ever since the invasion “the Greek Cyrpiots tolerate and experience the consequences of a twin crime, the coup instigated by the Greek military junta (on July 15 1974) and the ensuing Turkish invasion, events that left dead, missing persons, refugees, enclaved persons and a divided Cyprus in their wake.”
Syllouris’ remarks came as a UN-sponsored effort to bring an end to the division of Cyprus during the talks in Crans Montana, Switzerland, ended inconclusively on July 7.
“We are well-aware that a settlement to the Cyprus problem is not up to us, but solely up to Turkey, whose intransigent stance deteriorates the situation. We should not forget that the Cyprus problem is a problem of illegal invasion and continued occupation and not a bi-communal dispute,” he said, adding “it is not rational to negotiate on an equal footing and to be manipulated by Turkey’s unjustified and excessive demands.”
Noting the solution efforts should aim at safeguarding the fundamental human rights of the Cypriot citizens concerning freedom, security and equality on the basis of the European principles and values, Syllouris added “for years we have been engaged in a ceaseless political struggle which so far unfortunately has led to stalemates.”
“We have before us a provocative, cruel and arrogant Turkey which is not trying to hide its imperialistic intentions, and as a result the task of the Greek Cypriot side is all the more difficult and arduous,” he concluded.