Nicosia, Cyprus. The leaders of Dipa, the Ecologists’ Movement, and Edek, which lost all their parliamentary seats in May’s election, were invited to the presidential palace on Thursday for a briefing by President Nikos Christodoulides on the latest developments on the Cyprus problem.
Party leaders comment after meeting
All three leaders made statements after the meeting, addressing the Cyprus problem and the role of Turkey in any future progress.
Edek leader Nikos Anastasiou said Turkey must offer “tangible examples” of its “commitment” to progress before there can be progress in its own relations with the European Union.
“There is no way that we can accept that by their presence at talks alone, it would be enough to open up matters between Europe and Turkey. There must first be compliance from Turkey, and then any discussions on relations between Europe and Turkey can take place,” he said.
Ecologists call for substantive process
Ecologists’ Movement leader Stavros Papadouris said forthcoming developments on the Cyprus problem must amount to “a process of substance” and added that, so far, “confidence-building measures have not served any purpose”.
“The Republic of Cyprus always declares its readiness to come at any time with good will. We are always ready,” he said.
Dipa notes mobility at UN and EU levels
Dipa leader Marios Garoyian described the current period as “extremely interesting” and said that “mobility is being observed and recorded on the Cyprus issue, both at the United Nations and European Union levels”.
“The Republic of Cyprus and the president have been sending the message for some time that our side is ready for the resumption of negotiations. We are ready with the same good will to enter into a process which leads to the resolution of the Cyprus issue,” he said.
He added that a resolution would “mainly depend on Turkey, its intentions and its policies”, but expressed some optimism, saying that “in politics and in life, everything is possible”.
“Now, we will wait to see what the development will be at the level of Europe and Turkey, because it is logical for one to expect that Turkey, which wants to upgrade its relations with the EU, cannot do it at will,” he said.
He added that Turkey “will have to demonstrate in practice that it has the intention, the willingness, to implement its Cyprus-related obligations, but also to behave in such a way that it will allow the EU to give”.
