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[paliometoxo]

Syllouris claims anti-Tassos plot



Syllouris claims anti-Tassos plot



By Andreas Hadjipapas


TASSOS Papadopoulos plans to make a television broadcast on Monday to announce formally his decision to be a candidate again in next February’s presidential election.

The President has already informed other Greek Cypriot politicians of his intention, but apparently he waited until the coup and invasion anniversary events were over to make a public announcement.

In the meantime, he has received an added boost to his re-election ambitions, as a new group, the European Party (Evroko), has joined the ranks of his supporters.

As newspapers reported yesterday, the President will be running at the head of a "new tripartite alliance" comprising his centrist Diko party, socialist Edek and Evroko.

The three groups had a combined 32.5% of popular support in the previous elections.

Split

The new alliance follows the split in the former centre-left coalition ,when communist Akel departed from the government and decided to name its General Secretary, Demetris Christofias, as its own candidate for president.

Evroko stands for a "unitary" state, as opposed to the bizonal federal solution sought by the majority of Greek Cypriot political parties and its inclusion in the Papadopoulos front could push the alliance into a more hard line on the Cyprus problem.

Evroko’s leader, Demetris Syllouris, claimed yesterday that there was a concerted effort to bring back the controversial Annan Plan, despite its rejection by 76% of Greek Cypriots in the April 2004 referendum.

He asserted there was a "collusion" probably directed by foreign powers, to oust Tassos Papadopoulos in the first place and, as a second step, to impose the A –Plan on the people.

He also alleged that senior figures of communist Akel and of right wing Disy were collaborating in this campaign.

"There is an understanding and a link between them", concerning moves to bring back the UN plan, he added.

"We see an identity of views between them. Both parties see the Annan plan as the only basis for a settlement, with some changes," he told CyBC television.

Syllouris expressed "concern" that the "Yes platform" (of Disy and Akel people who supported the A-Plan) was still "active" and seeking to "neutralise" and remove Papadopoulos from office, following his staunch opposition to the UN blueprint.

An angry Christofias bluntly told Syllouris that his arguments were "very cheap and ludicrous."

He recalled that, out of some 1,600 delegates attending the recent Akel congress, 93% voted in favour of the party’s General Secretary running for President.

He also stressed that the Akel people who had voted Yes in the referendum had been "punished" and any talk that they would be "plotting" to bring back the A-Plan was "unacceptable."

The official party decision at the time was for a No vote.

Disy was the party that had openly supported the U N proposal at the time, but a number of leading Akel people defied the party line and also cast a Yes vote. Turkish Cypriots accepted the plan.

Criticising

Syllouris, a former Disy officer, claimed that once Tassos had gone, then the two big parties of the right and left would get together, so that the Anna Plan was "approved" by the National Council and the House of Representatives, without submitting it to a referendum.

He noted that Disy and Akel had set out their positions at a series of N C meeting, that the Annan Plan would form the basis of a settlement with certain changes.

"They keep criticising President Papadopoulos for his refusal to implement this line," he noted.

Syllouris also asserted that the July 8 agreement reached last year between President Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehgmet Ali Talat, with U N assitance, "laid down a new basis for a settlement, that is why the Turks are balking in implementing it".

Evroko’s political bureau at a meeting on Wednesday evening decided by majority (42 to 1 with one abstention) to support Tassos for President. A final decision will be taken by the party’s central committee on Wednesday.

In the May 2006 parliamentary elections, Evroko gained 5.75% of the votes and got three seats in the 56-member House.

Government Spokesman Vassilis Palmas welcomed Evroko’s stand.

Asked about Syllouris’ remarks about an Akel-Disy "collusion" to oust Tassos, he replied: "We have a democratic system of government and everyone is free to express his views and positions ."

An opinion poll published in Phileleftheros on Sunday showed that Papadopoulos was still ahead, with 30.8% of the 1,010 people interviewed, followed by Ioannis Kasoulides (29.6%) and Christofias (26.3%).

The newspaper said the results of the survey made it clear that the contest was wide open, with the three candidates having almost equal chances of winning.

Former Foreign Minister George Lillikas had a private meeting with Christofias this week but he told newsmen he was still considering his future moves and had not decided whether to return to the Akel fold or side with Papadopoulos in the coming elections.

Meanwhile, the Epalxis group, led by former Government Spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides, now an Akel MP, took a decision to back Christofias ‘s candidacy.

All three candidates are preparing their campaign offices, but campaigning in earnest is expected to start in September, after the summer holidays.





TASSOS RUN

LIA


http://www.cyprusweekly.com.cy/default. ... geID=304_1

[cypezokyli]

conspiracies... the cypriot favourite.

[paliometoxo]

but wanting to bring back the annan plan...

[Bananiot]

Nobody wants to bring back the Annan Plan. Papadopoulos will have a field day if this was so. Thus, he dreams about his opponents endevouring to bring back the cursed plan. He can win the elections hands down then.

P.S. Syllouris is an extreme right winger of the sort Papadopoulos is flirting with at the moment.

[EPSILON]

conspiracies... the cypriot favourite.

Continuing conspirancies: It was George Papantreou, Klerides/Kasoulides.West prepared and sumbitted Annan plan. Unforetunately for them their scenario was not successful.

New plan: Dora Mpakogianni , Kasoulides - same base of people - same plan is coming under a new name by April 2008. They will fail again for the simple reason that Greeks everywhee including Greek Cypriots we threough babis like G Papantreou/ D Mpakogianni, Kasoulides etc to KEADAS!!!!!!

FREE CYPRUS-GREEK CYPRUS -GREEK REPUPLIC OF CYPRUS

[paliometoxo]

well if the plan is ok then both sides will accept but to havea plan thats in favour of turks or in favour of us why would we accept it? or why would they accept it? i hope it passes from both sides...

i think T.P will win easily

[Bananiot]

God forbid. It is the last change we have to save Cyprus. Send him home, for good.

[paliometoxo]

well see what happens... who do you want to win..?

[Bananiot]

Anyone except Papadopoulos and his rejectionist bunch of extreme right wingers.

[paliometoxo]

and whata bout denktas who thanks god we said no?