ΦΩΝΗ ΚΥΠΡΙΩΝ - KIBRISLILARIN SESİ – CYPRIOTS’ VOICE cypriots-voice.eu Communiqué CYPRIOTS’ VOICE bi-communal forum considered the situation of the Cyprus problem and concluded as follows: 1. Grass root Joint activity promotes societal cohesion: Cypriots’ Voice endorses, encourages and supports common grassroots action that may promote unification of the society by helping to alleviate conditions of mistrust, scepticism and suspicion stemming from past animosity. The establishment of the Drasy/eylem bi-communal list of candidates for the Euro Parliament elections 2014 is an example of brave progressive action demonstrating in practical terms and beyond electoral calculation peaceful co-existence of our society. The projection of the spirit of unity which was projected during the election campaign, opposed the stance of communal separatism and had a positive impact at all layers of the society including political structures. Despite the expected low voter support, the symbolism of the action set good grounds in future struggles for unification of Cypriots. 2. The process of European citizenship for the Turkish Cypriots. The integration of the TC in the EU processes depends upon a settlement of the Cyprus problem. However the government of the RoC could pave the way and even neutralize the negativity of the Turkish action in allowing the participation of TC in legitimacies of EU citizenship, by undertaking positive discriminatory measures that would comfort TC to trustfully behave as EU citizens. In this occasion of the Euro Parliament elections, the RoC and the political parties establishment behaved a Greek administration and kept equal distance as the equivalent TC structure by undermining the ground for participation of the TC in the elections process. The RoC could in this respect declare two electoral regions thus giving the opportunity to Cypriot-European citizens to vote as European citizens living outside the territorial enforcement of the acquis and, as such, to exercise their voting rights over election of two members of the Euro parliament. These two MEPs would thus represent the Turkish Cypriots under the flag of the RoC 3. Messages from the elections in northern Cyprus: Cypriots’ Voice considers the results of the 2014 elections in northern Cyprus as encouraging signals with regards to the indication of resistance of hte TX community over the general directions of Ankara. However this must not be mistaken as weakness of TR to impose its permanent goals over Cyprus i.e. retention of the Treaty of Guarantee; control over a piece of land serving its militarism; settlers abidance to be covered by primary law; permanent derogations for human rights in the acquis; Turkish citizens to enjoy the four freedoms in Cyprus as the Greek citizens do. With the above in mind, the Roc and the international players concerned with the efforts for settlement, should work around innovative proposals in order to overcome these rigid demands in working out a new comprehensive plan for negotiated settlement of the Cyprus problem. 4. Joint project activity. Cypriots voice is committed to promote cooperation and understanding among the people in order to create the necessary foundations for peaceful and prosperous coexistence in the common homeland. In this respect we support the establishment of common projects and activities of both social and business nature involving players from both communities. Despite the lack of an effective legal framework and contrary to the obstacles which the administrations of both sides impose to hinder such movements, we believe that the citizens can establish coalitions and actualise results towards this goal. Examples are: Organised excursions and tours visiting monuments and historical places in Cyprus but also Turkey and Greece for appreciating each other’s past history and cultural heritage; exploitation of the bicommunal radio (mycyradio.eu) for uttering Cypriot’s voice; promoting scientifically viable propositions for safeguarding future revenues from natural gas to the benefit of the people. 5. Cypriots Voice was established in 2007 as a socio-political group consisting of active members of the Cypriot civil society that share the vision of a common multicultural Cyprus where all inhabitants of all communities could live in conditions of freedom, democracy, equality, social justice, and respect of human rights and in accordance with the principles of the European Union. Cypriot’s Voice, in this respect, has released 27 Communiqués expressing an alternative, prudent, and credible political voice addressing all Cypriots. The communiqués projected recurring themes on significant important issues in an easily digestible way and released to public via news papers, extensive targeted emails and through the internet. Observations brought to light certain issues on the Cyprus problem and particularly the themes of trust, slow progress/stalemate in the negotiations, Parameters of a federal solution, Cross-voting. Suggestions for confidence building measures included common phone lines, facilitating trips to the north, road signs in Greek and Turkish, taking civil society seriously, transparency on the talks, Opening the ports in the north of Cyprus (under EU supervision), proposals to intensify the talks – keep up the momentum, management of natural gas, elaborating the property issue, concluding the issue of the missing, Varosha opening to its legitimate residence. Cypriots’ Voice will continue pursuing its goals and intensify the efforts to cascade simple messages to the public contributing to the promotion of the spirit of coexistence of all Cypriots and leading to the unification of Cyprus in a bicommunal bizonal federation member state of the European Union. Communiqué no 28 - Cypriots’ Voice 10/08/2014
Posted on: Tue, 02 Sep 2014 09:00:00 +0000
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