‘TRNC polls significant’

GREEK Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades’ campaign office said on Monday the elections in the TRNC had their own political significance despite their ‘illegality’.

“We hope that they will not create conditions within the Turkish Cypriot community that will lead to further hardening of its positions and its intransigence,” Mr Anastasiades’ spokeswoman Annita Demetriou said in a written statement.

“Of course, the official negotiator of the Turkish Cypriot community remains independent of the results, without forgetting that Ankara itself has the main and decisive role,” she added.

The statement said the aim of all should be the solution of the Cyprus problem within the framework of the solution and the parameters of the UN.

Ruling Disy leader Averof Neophytou told reporters on Monday that results of the election suggested that everyone should support Mr Anastasiades’ candidacy in the January 28 election given his clear position that he is ready to resume dialogue within UN parameters. As long as the stalemate remains, “it is a fertiliser for Ankara’s aspirations”, he said.

“The status quo, but also the political forces in the Turkish Cypriot community that do not support the reunification of the country but two separate states, are being strengthened,” he added.

“We have no other way but to be committed to the national goal of the reunification and liberalisation of the country, to work for the resumption of dialogue as soon as possible to solve the Cyprus problem,” he said.

Asked if he thought things were becoming more difficult, Mr Neophytou said the more time passed the more possible that would become.

“If one takes into account that five years ago during the then illegal elections, the forces supporting the solution of the Cyprus problem within the parameters of the UN were the overwhelming majority and today, five years later the members of the [ Turkish Cypriot] community seeking a solution beyond the UN’s parameters have been strengthened,” he added. Akel general-secretary Andros Kyprianou also said the results were a reversal.

“Because of this, a strong effort must be made by our side to keep alive the hope of resolving the Cyprus problem and to create the conditions that will allow us to reach an agreement,” he said, adding that this was why it was so important to elect Stavros Malas, the candidate the party is backing in the election.

Diko said in a statement that whatever the results of elections in the TRNC, Turkey’s long-term goals in the North would always remain the same.