Anastasiades calls for unity

President Nicos Anastasiades yesterday issued a written statement urging the island’s political parties, the media, and civil society to work together to achieve a viable solution that will secure a modern, European state for all the citizens of the country.

Anastasiades said he was following with great respect and patience the views and positions expressed by the political leaders and others on the contents of the declaration, but was obliged to note that he considered certain suggestions “totally unfounded and dangerously arbitrary.”

He said he felt the need to emphasize that he has “not deviated one iota” from his pre-election commitments either towards DIKO or the people of Cyprus.

Anastasiades said that after an arduous effort that lasted many months, the two  sides agreed on “a joint declaration that will allow us to resume a substantive dialogue to achieve a solution that will rid our country of the occupation, lead to reunification and safeguard the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all the legitimate citizens of Cyprus.”

He said he will give a detailed analysis of the facts and what had been achieved through the joint declaration in the coming days.

He urged everyone to cooperate, focusing on “all the things that unite us” and “fight together to achieve a viable solution that will secure a modern, European state for all the citizens of the country.”

“The joint declaration is only the beginning”, the president said. “We have hard work ahead and should make a persistent effort.”

Anastasiades thanked the Greek government for its unwavering support and expressed satisfaction for the responsible stance of the two biggest political parties on the island, ruling DISY and AKEL, and the responsibility exhibited by other political forces and civil society.

Davutoglu: There is momentum for solution

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said yesterday that there is now a strong momentum for the solution of the Cyprus problem and described the joint communique as the best that could be reached by the two sides.

In an interview he gave to Turkish station Ahaber, he said he had spoken with US Secretary of State John Kerry and is in constant touch with his counterparts in Athens and the UK. He said he had discussed the respective visits of the Greek and Turkish Cypriot negotiators to Athens and Ankara with his Greek counterpart. "These visits will be made ​​simultaneously on the same day," he said.

A solution to the Cyprus problem, he said, will ensure stability in the Eastern Mediterranean, will ensure that water and energy is used for peace and will further improve relations between Greece and Turkey.

He said the joint statement takes into account the basic principles of the Turkish side for a solution based on two founding states, accepting and enhancing bizonality while at the same time accepting the principles of a joint state within the United Nations and the international community.

"This text has reached a very satisfactory point and is the best that could be achieved by the two sides," Davutoğlu said. "It is more than a joint statement, it is a text that sets the framework for the negotiations and the main parameters for a solution.” He said that was why it was a difficult and hard process, in which he sometimes had to intervene personally, but the important thing was that political will was shown.

"In a negotiation more important than the technical details is the psychological climate. If the sides come to the table wanting a solution, the technical details can be easily overcome. But if this political will is absent, then the slightest technicality is turned into a huge problem and an impenetrable wall. The important thing here is that the United Nations was in a state of permanent mobilization, I was constantly in contact with Athens and Britain as guarantor powers, the EU also contributed.

“The international community has become seriously interested in the solution of the Cyprus problem and at the same time the right climate has been created for the basic parameters of the solution,” he said.

Davutoglu added that in April they will start sending water to north Cyprus and throughout the island. “This our Prime Minister has described as a peace program. We have always said that water may also be sent to the southern Cyprus if needed. The issue of energy sources should also be used for peace. A solution to the Cyprus problem will ensure stability in the Eastern Mediterranean, will ensure that water and energy resources are used for peace, and will further improve relations between Greece and Turkey. It will also ensure that there is a climate of peace between Turkey, Greece and Cyprus. These are important gains," he said.

Asked if a solution can be reached by summer, Mr. Davutoglu avoided a clear answer. "We have always shown strong political will, and if the other side also shows the same political will, as almost all the issues have been discussed in Cyprus to date, there may be an agreement soon.”

He said he was able to reach a decision during his visit to northern Cyprus on 14 December. However, he added, things don’t work like that on the Greek side, as they have the National Council which brings together all the opposition parties, there is the church and a host of other factors. Even at the last minute things that have already been agreed may be overturned, he said. However, he said that “Mr Anastasiades’ election, being more focused on results and solving the problem directly, has created an expectation."

Asked what would happen if the referenda again the Turkish Cypriots vote ‘yes’ and the Greek Cypriots vote ‘no’, Davutoglu said that talks would not be able to resume again and each side would have to follow its own path.

Marcos wins DIKO vice presidency

Marcos Kyprianou yesterday was elected as vice president of DIKO, online newspaper newzup.net reports, adding that this constitutes a defeat for the president of the party Nicolas Papadopoulos who had openly sided with another candidate.

It remains to be seen what the party will decide as regards Papadopoulos’ wish to withdraw from the government over the Cyprus problem.