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| South’s ‘poison words’ |
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GREEK Cypriot leader Dimitris Christofias is back on his old hobby horse – as the South works to “end (so-called) Turkish occupation”.
The republic’s political leader promised that Greek Cypriots would continue to stay at the negotiating table with the objective of reaching a peace solution
But, as he attended a funeral for a missing person in South Nicosia cemetery, Christofias said: “We will continue the struggle. We will do everything possible and will remain committed to the agreed solution foundation and principles.”
But then, in a remarkable outburst, he added: “We support a solution which will end the Turkish occupation and colonisation and which will save Cyprus from foreign dependency.”
He added that the solution must “fully respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Cypriots”.
The Greek Cypriot leader also put forward his thoughts concerning his vision for Cyprus to some visiting American students. He said: “We support a bizonal, bicomunal federation which comprises of one Turkish and one Greek Cypriot states.
“When we look at the way the federation works in the US, you see a President who has strong powers and a strong central government, all US citizens have the right to move, buy property and reside freely in any state they wish,” he said.
In reply, TRNC Foreign Minister Foreign Minister Huseyin Ozgurgun has accused the Greek Cypriot Side of “poisoning the political atmosphere on the island instead of continuing the negotiations process in good faith and in a serious manner.”
The foreign minster’s words came in reaction to an earlier statement made by the Greek Cypriot leader Christofias.
Mr Ozgurgun said that the Greek Cypriot leader was exploiting every opportunity to accuse the Turkish Cypriot side and Turkey, despite an agreement reached between the two leaders not to issue any provocative statements.
Pointing out that Christofias continued to create difficulties in the talks, he stated that while the Turkish Cypriot side made logical and balanced proposals on the property issue in line with the realities on the island, the Greek Cypriot side continued to adopt an uncompromising stance, which he warned, will push the talks on the chapter into a deadlock.
He described as unacceptable the efforts of the Greek Cypriot side to introduce pre-conditions on issues such as land arrangements and the so-called “settlers”.
“The main goals we set to achieve with solving the property dispute is to ensure that our people are not forced once again to move on a mass scale, that the issue is not further complicated, that the settlement to be reached will not be poisoned and that a just property regime can be created in Cyprus,” he added.
The foreign minister stressed that Ankara had always been in support of a comprehensive and lasting settlement in Cyprus.
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| 16.07.2010
(Number of hits 109)
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