Nicosia: AKEL has announced its full support for a new initiative by UN Secretary-General Ant³nio Guterres aimed at resolving the long-standing Cyprus issue. The left-wing political party emphasized the urgency of finding a solution to the problem, which has persisted for over five decades since Turkey's invasion and occupation of part of Cyprus in 1974.
According to Cyprus News Agency, AKEL believes that significant progress towards a resolution can only be achieved through the leadership of Mr. Guterres, who played a crucial role in previous negotiations at Crans-Montana in 2017. The party stressed that any new talks should build upon the existing convergences from past negotiations to avoid unnecessary delays and complications.
The UN Secretary-General is currently exploring the possibility of convening an informal expanded meeting to break the deadlock and resume negotiations. Mr. Guterres plans to present an outline of positions similar to the Framework he introduced at Crans-Montana, covering the six core chapters of the Cyprus problem.
AKEL highlighted the importance of resuming negotiations from where they left off in 2017, maintaining that recorded convergences should be preserved and disputes over their accuracy should be resolved by the United Nations. The party warned against introducing "new" ideas on agreed issues, as this could lead to further disagreements and stall progress.
The party also expressed concerns over scenarios being discussed in diplomatic and journalistic circles, such as decentralizing the federal state, changing the system of government, involving NATO in the solution, and adopting an evolutionary approach to the solution. AKEL firmly opposed any involvement of NATO, advocating instead for the European Union's mechanisms to ensure the implementation of a solution without military means.
AKEL asserted that safeguarding existing achievements and focusing on unresolved matters would be the most effective way to achieve a comprehensive solution. The party called for utilizing available tools and interests, such as EU-Turkey relations and energy issues, to support the peace process and reach a swift positive outcome.