"I am here to handle the Cyprus question through substantive actions and not through statements made on a daily basis", President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides said on Friday in statements to CNA, sending the message to Turkish Cypriot leader, Ersin Tatar, and to the Turkish Cypriots, that "we must learn to respect each other's history, as is the case in all European countries". Invited to comment on statements by Tatar who criticized the actions of the Greek Cypriot side, Christodoulides reiterated that he will not engage in a blame game. In his statements Tatar had called on the Greek Cypriot side to "terminate actions that create tension and approach in a positive way calls of the Turkish Cypriot side for dialogue", while he noted that praising EOKA (the organization that carried out the struggle against the British rule from 1955 until 1959) which he described as a "terrorist organization", slogans as "Turks out of Cyprus" and the "culmination of the hostility towards the Turks show that the anachronistic way of thinking of the Greek Cypriot side has not changed and remains the same." Invited to comment on the statements, President Christodoulides noted that "as I have said from the beginning I will not engage in a blame game or in statements on a daily basis, criticizing either Tatar or Turkey." He added that "I am here to handle the Cyprus problem through substantive actions and not through statements made on a daily basis." "We are focusing on efforts for which I have talked about since the day I took over my duties, on how to break the deadlock, because this is what is required most of all today. And these efforts are going on using diplomacy," he added. The President reiterated that he will make trips abroad "with a view to enhance this effort, which I hope will bear fruit" noting that the timeframe for this is just after the elections in Turkey. As regards EOKA, Christodoulides recalled what he said on the occasion of April 1st, when the beginning of EOKA's struggle is commemorated, that "by commemorating such anniversaries we are not moving away from the settlement of the Cyprus problem." Moreover he stressed the need of "learning to respect each others history, as is the case in all European countries" adding that this is his message "to Tatar and all our Turkish Cypriot compatriots." Asked which countries he is going to visit, he noted that "announcements will be made soon on this, but certainly these are countries which on one hand show particular interest in the Cyprus problem, but most importantly can play a role in our effort to break the deadlock." Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.
Source: Cyprus News Agency