Akel says government not acting decisively enough in face of Turkish provocations

If the negotiations on the Cyprus issue do not resume, Turkey will continue to exploit the gap in negotiations, opposition Akel leader Stefanos Stefanou said on Sunday.

In statements after memorial service in Kathikas, Stefanou it was obvious that Turkey was taking advantage of the current situation created after the failure of the talks in Crans-Montana in 2017.

“First we must take action and address the international community to ask for practical solidarity in order to stop this effort of Turkey but also if the negotiations do not resume, Turkey will continue to exploit the gap,” he said.

“That is why we called on the president to take concrete initiatives towards the resumption of negotiations.”

He also said that a proposal tabled by Akel, is that it gives substance to what the UN Secretary-General said in his recent report about taking advantage of the hydrocarbons issue to act as a catalyst for the creation of prospects for the resumption of negotiations.

He said the only way to justify the sacrifices of those who gave their lives for their country was to be able to liberate the country by ending the Turkish occupation through a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation with political equality as described in UN resolutions.

However, he added that Turkey was being “more provocative than ever” by officially promoting a two-state solution, constantly violating Cyprus’ EEZ  and provoking people over Varosha.

Stefanou said that President Nicos Anastasiades and his government had not moved to resume negotiations and were just “monitoring” the negative “instead of acting decisively and specifically by taking initiatives”.