Cyprus Won't Negotiate Under Turkish Intimidations

The President stated that the Greek-Cypriot community wishes to conduct peaceful discussions towards a mutually beneficial solution for all involved.

During Anastasiades' speech at the 34th anti-occupation rally administered by the Turkish illegally occupied region of Morphou, the leader commented that Turkey's recent acts against Cyprus' EEZ, "undermine the efforts to reach a just, viable and functional solution of the Cyprus issue", according to Parikiaki.

The Cypriot President voiced, "Unfortunately, the attitude of Mr. Eroglu and the recent actions of Ankara against the internationally recognized sovereign rights of the Republic (of Cyprus), left me with no other choice but to suspend our participation in the negotiating process".

Anastasiades added, "I will not enter into negotiations under conditions of blackmail. We want peaceful talks and not a dialogue under the threat of Turkey's warships". He noted that Cypriots ,"need to be persuaded that trust and faith between the two sides should and must be restored. However, Turkish Government's recent decisions and intentions, as they are being demonstrated, do not contribute to achieving this goal".

The President explained, "What we need right now is the implementation of measures to restore confidence, not measures that increase mistrust among the lawful citizens of the island, through actions that violate international law...I have repeatedly stated that the natural wealth belongs to the state and the finding of a solution will help so that all the people of Cyprus benefit from it".

Anastasiades claimed that he thinks that Cyprus' allies, "whom Turkey tirelessly assures of its good intentions with regard to the Cyprus problem, to do their share and exert their influence".