Our View: President-elect now needs to put victory speech words into action

Sunday night’s victory speech by president-elect Nicos Christodoulides struck the right tone in every respect. He showed restraint and humility, avoided the posturing of the victor and delivered a message of unity and cooperation to all political forces. He even addressed the Turkish Cypriots, offering his sympathy for the ordeal they were going through after the earthquake in Turkey.

Those who believed that the president-elect would allow the Cyprus problem to follow its course to partition would have been surprised to hear him say that “my top concern is termination of the Turkish occupation, the reunification of our country.” He also said that he would “do everything to break the deadlock, for the resumption of the negotiations so we can create the conditions for the solution of the Cyprus problem.”

We hope these words were not spoken as a continuation of the election campaign, or out of a sense of duty, and the new president will put his words into action as soon as he assumes office. Any such initiatives would also have the support of Disy and Akel, although it may not go down well with the rejectionist parties that campaigned for his election and have no interest in a Cyprus settlement.

His links with the rejectionist parties were also highlighted by foreign media covering his election, most reporting that “he is considered a hardliner regarding the Cyprus reunification issues,” or that he was “backed by groups that take an openly hostile stance on talks to reunify the island.” This is the perception abroad and it will be up to the new president to show that it is wrong, but this can only be done with actions, as words will not count for much once he is in office.

Whether there will progress on the Cyprus issue also depends on Turkey, but there would be no obstacle to the president-elect living by his assertion that “our European Western orientation is our stable compass”, and that “this orientation will strengthened further.” There were concerns that Christodoulides would move in the direction of Moscow, but it is good to hear that he has no intention of following this course and that he will strengthen our European, Western orientation.

It was reassuring to hear all this from the president-elect, because there had been questions during the campaign about the foreign policy he would pursue. That he is committed to looking westwards and feels so strongly about this that he made the point in his victory speech was very positive indeed. All that remains now is for him to back these words with his actions.