Cyprus-Forum.com

[brother]

‘Britain is our nemesis’
By Elias Hazou


AKEL boss Demetris Christofias yesterday launched a scathing attack on British policy in Cyprus, saying the former colonial power had been the island’s “nemesis” for the past half century.

Returning from a visit to the United Kingdom, the House President, who is acting President of the Republic in the absence overseas of Tassos Papadopoulos, said it was “crystal clear that the British factor had been paramount in recent developments to solve the Cyprus problem”.

If the Greek Cypriot side was now seeking changes to the Annan plan, this was because so many of the plan’s provisions “bore Britain’s fingerprints, and in particular those of Lord David Hannay, who now comes up with books from which to hurl his thunderbolts at us”.

Lord Hannay, Britain’s former special envoy for Cyprus, is currently on the island promoting his book, Cyprus: the Search for a Solution.

Christofias added it was not the first time he had made his feelings about British policy known.

Speaking at an expatriates’ event in London on Sunday, Christofias was fiercely critical of Britain, which he described as “Cyprus’ longtime nemesis”. The communist party leader went on to accuse the British government of deliberately trying to undermine the Republic of Cyprus in its efforts for a just and viable settlement.

Asked yesterday how Cyprus could break the former colonial power’s hold, Christofias said few doubted Britain’s nefarious role. “Even within the British Parliament there are many who agree with this analysis,” he added.

Throughout the post-war period, Cypriots had been trying to struggle against “Britain’s efforts to maintain Cyprus for its military purposes,” he said.

Christofias added Britain had played a part in all the critical junctures of Cyprus’ history, in 1960, 1963 and 1974, accusing London of exploiting rival nationalisms for its own purposes of divide and rule.

On Sunday, the AKEL chief said Britain was using its leverage to promote an EU directive authorising direct trade with the breakaway regime in the north.

“This is because they want to enforce use of the illegal airports and ports in the north, bypassing the legitimate government of the Republic,” observed Christofias.

He urged “those who sneakily shift responsibility for a new initiative on our side” to turn to Turkey instead, adding that Ankara’s stance was key to progress.

He also warned of a concerted effort to discredit the Greek Cypriot side, charging the United States of colluding with Britain in a Machiavellian approach to the Cyprus issue.

Christofias yesterday hit back at US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice’s comments in Ankara that the US government favored the resumption of peace talks and lifting the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot community.

The top US diplomat described Greek Cypriots’ rejection of the Annan plan as a “major disappointment”.

“This is reheated food,” was Christofias’ contemptuous response.

“Admittedly, the tenor was milder this time, but bear in mind the hostile statements and threats issued at Cyprus both before and after the referenda.”

According to the AKEL boss, the powers at be in the United States have been striving to extract from the UN Secretary-general a report that would render Security Council Resolution 541 null and void.

That resolution designated the breakaway regime as illegal, and called on all UN members to refrain from any dealings with it.

And at another seminar organised by the AKEL branch in the UK at the weekend, the veteran leader said there now existed three trends or approaches to the Cyprus problem. First, there were those who were opposed to any federation-based solution, and consequently rejected the Annan plan outright; second, those who accepted the Annan plan as is; and third, those who wanted substantive improvements to the plan.

AKEL fell into the third category, explained Christofias.

Similar sentiments were echoed yesterday by EDEK chairman Yiannakis Omirou, who asserted that “those who claim that Turkish Cypriots are isolated should be ashamed of themselves.”

“How can they say that, when Turkish Cypriots are entitled to free health care, have identity cards issued, and thousands of them are employed in the south?” wondered Omirou.

“To claim that we are responsible for the Turkish Cypriots’ economic or other isolation is intolerable hypocrisy,” the EDEK leader remarked.

“We shall not submit to pressure, and we shall certainly not consent to our own undoing.”

[cannedmoose]

How nice it is to have enlightened leaders like Christofias in the EU... if he has issues with the UK government, maybe he should take them through proper channels rather than spouting meaningless rhetoric through the press. It does him no favours and does not help Cyprus' political image one iota.

I'm certainly not an apologist for the actions of my government, Britain has been complicit in many of Cyprus' problems (certainly not all of them), but publicly accusing an important trading partner, source of income and home to many, many Cypriots is not the done thing.

Still, since Christofias is essentially a barelyreformed Stalinist, this kind of bluster should only be expected.

(Sorry for the recent absence folks, I've had a particularly nasty bout of flu... God bless the English winter!)

[turkcyp]

Who is not GCs nemesis I do not know anymore...

Definetly Turkey and TCs...

Also we know that they do not like UK, USA as well....

Last year they liked EU, but definetly not some of the EU representatives when they suggets direct trade, and other benefits to TCs. So depending on who runs EU they do not like EU either. Sometimes they like sometimes they don't.

Anyway they definetly like Russian, and Chinese right now, I guess as they veto any resolution that are for the benefits of TCs, but I guess that can change too if they accept something for the benefit of TCs....

Anyway, I am leaving you guys alone with your deamons. How do you really sleep at night when you have so many enemies in the world?

[Saint Jimmy]

You left he UN out

[turkcyp]

You left he UN out

Oh yes, I am sorry how idiot of me...

I have left the one of the biggest enemies of GCs, UN out of the list....

Funny it is the same UN that gave them the RoC in a gold platter in March 1964. But as times changes enemies also. The only constant enemy of GCs seems to be Turkey and TCs. We even defy time, not just international law.......

[cannedmoose]

It's the 'scapegoatism' that keeps many GC politicians in their jobs. Without others to blame, people would quickly realise it's their own leaders screwing up. So it's unsurprising that one of the chief architects of Cyprus' current standing (Comrade Christofias) also has one of the biggest mouths. Although with a consistent 33% in his pocket, does he really care all that much?

[Bananiot]

Well said everyone! It is very depressive to actually live in our society and be exposed daily to such trush. This kind of logic passes right through the society on all issues, not only political. When our football team loses a game, for example, its never because the other team was better. Its always because of bad refereeing or some other unlikely excuse.

[brother]

Bless the cypriot politicians and their complete lack of ability to accept blame.

[cannedmoose]

‘Cypriots have feelings and dignity’

By Jean Christou

AKEL’s general-secretary launched a new attack on Britain yesterday, only days after he said the former colonial power had been the island’s “nemesis” for the past half century.

Speaking during a visit to Athens for meetings with senior Greek officials, Christofias said
Britain must understand that Cypriots have “feelings and dignity”, which they stand up for, and he called on the British ''to stop challenging the feelings of the people of Cyprus on a daily basis, for our benefit and theirs.''

”In an effort to make her (Britain) understand that, while choosing Turkey over Cyprus, she must understand that the Cypriots have feelings and dignity, which they can not but stand up for,” he said, adding that he had already expressed his views to Britain.

“There are British interests in Cyprus, met through the Bases, which the Zurich-London agreements imposed. No one wanted to ask for the dissolution of these Bases. Now and since 1960 we have many other internal problems, these problems were worsened after the invasion and occupation and became serious problems regarding relations with Turkey.”

Returning from a visit to the United Kingdom on Tuesday he said it was “crystal clear that the British factor had been paramount in recent developments to solve the Cyprus problem”.

If the Greek Cypriot side was now seeking changes to the Annan plan, this was because so many of the plan’s provisions “bore Britain’s fingerprints, and in particular those of Lord David Hannay, who now comes up with books from which to hurl his thunderbolts at us,” he said referring to Hannay’s book launch on Monday.

(C)Cyprus Mail