Cyprus problem talks would begin from day one says Mavroyiannis

Initiatives to restart talks on the Cyprus problem would begin from day one, Akel-backed independent presidential candidate Andreas Mavroyiannis said on Sunday addressing refugees from Nicosia and Kyrenia.

Saying he intends to resume talks “from the very first day of his rule”, Mavroyiannis said he is aware that refugees are tired of hearing big promises.

“Almost 50 years later, we are still debating what was wrong, who was to blame. We still haven’t talked about traitors, and let everyone talk about betrayal. We still haven’t talked about the criminals, and let everyone talk about the crime. The first thing that needs to be done is the restoration of the truth,” he said.

Our country, he added, needs to be saved, by those “who love peace. Those who insist on crying out for the need for liberation and reunification in both communities. They are the ones who inspire us too, to continue and persevere.”

From the very first day of his rule, he continued, initiatives will be taken to resume talks with specific actions towards the UN Secretary General and the Turkish Cypriot community, while on refugee policy, he said that for 10 years, [current President Nicos] Anastasiades’ successors applauded any decision to abolish it.

“Most refugee projects exclude the majority of refugees from support. Plans to build apartment buildings, within government settlements and to grant land to self-housing settlements, were abolished,” he said. More than €80 million for refugee projects had not been allocated, he added.