Press Bulletin
Cyprus EU Association has called on the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot parties to be sensitive to the needs and interests of the other community. KAB in its press bulletin stated that;”playing for time or pretending to encourage solution but hindering the process is in detriment of the both communities.” Furthermore, Cyprus EU Association also underlines that the real intention could not be to achieve peace.
The full text of the press bulletin is as follows:
Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots under the pressure of need to a solution and in good faith are waiting for the negotiations to begin on 3 September 2008. They believe in that all interested parties are desirous for reaching peace and they will act in this manner. Superficially all indications are in this way. We hope that the real intention is in this way. Yet, we have serious doubts.
Incident at Pyla village and the following provocative statements; rejection of a request by Kato Pyrgos residents to go on an organised pilgrimage at church Saint Mamas via the Limnitis check point on trivial excuses, are enhancing our doubts. About a month ago, a request to go to Dillirga was approved for Turkısh Cypriots, but the same request by the Greek side was denied on bases that “Limnitis checkpoint is not yet opened for crossings”. This is not a sincere behaviour. At least, for the sake of the negotiating table, the request could have been granted for the pilgrimage and unconvincing excuses were not put forward. This behaviour cannot be accepted as a good gesture from a side that wants peace.
We do not know the underlying mentality, aim and those responsible for these provocations. For some reason this type of activities have always remained as unsolved incidents. With such mentality; “the damage that I can inflict on my opponents are my gains” will harm the ongoing process and the end losers will be Turkish Cypriots who are faced with annihilation. Greek Cypriot community will also lose.
We call on both sides to respect and be sincere on the other side’s wish and interests as much as theirs. Loss of one community cannot be a gain of the other community. Two communities are compelled to live together on the island and success lies in safeguarding the interests of the both communities. Playing for time or pretending to be the side wishing peace but to torpedo the process is in detriment of both communities.
Ali Erel
President