Speaker of the House, Sibel Siber has said that there should be no return to the 1960 Republic of Cyprus model, ‘Kibris Gazetesi’ reports.
The CTP candidate in the forthcoming presidential elections was addressing a round table meeting with students at Kyrenia American University (GAU).
She argued that the solution of the Cyprus problem will not involve a “return to the 1960 Republic of Cyprus” adding that “the Republic of Cyprus model was a functional federation model which lasted for three years”.
Siber said that after the Cyprus problem is solved, there should be no problems regarding migration and migrants because “it is not possible for migration and migrant problems to exist in a good solution”.
Referring to territorial adjustments after a possible solution, Siber said that “territorial concession will come onto the agenda in a possible solution, but the important thing is for what and in return of what this will happen?”
Siber stated that during the tenure of former Turkish Cypriot Presidents Rauf Denktas and Mehmet Ali Talat, a proposal had been submitted to the Greek Cypriots for the opening of the fenced off-city of Varosha/Maras under UN control in return of the lifting of the embargoes and isolation imposed on the Turkish Cypriots and the opening of the seaports and airports. She argued that the Greek Cypriots had rejected this proposal.
Siber went on to say that the Greek Cypriot leader had a positive image in the world and the image of the Turkish Cypriot leader was negative because the former had said “yes” the Annan Plan in 2004 and the latter voted “no”. She said that this perception still exists in spite of the fact that President Anastasiades abandoned the negotiating table and not enough international pressure has been exerted on him to return to the table.
She also expressed the view that a more proactive policy should be followed and said that the Turkish Cypriots are in the right on the Cyprus problem, but they have to communicate this in an effective way to the outside world.
Siber repeated Turkish opinion that the Greek Cypriot side have little motivation to solve the Cyprus problem because of “the fact that the Greek Cypriots are internationally recognised“. She also said that the Turkish Cypriots are not part of the international community and are isolated as they cannot participate in international sport and cultural events.
Siber argued that in her view: “The solution on the island should not be a return to the 1960 Republic of Cyprus, but on the basis of a new bi-communal, bi-zonal federal system based on equality in the light of the UN Security Council Resolutions, the 1977-79 agreements, the 23 May and 1 July agreements. The Republic of Cyprus model was a functional federation model and lasted for three years”.
Elsewhere Dr Siber was critical of President Dervis Eroglu for bringing the issue of territory to the agenda which had never been discussed after the referendum. She said that the topic created concern amongst the people by continuously using it for propaganda and employing time-worn methods during the pre-election campaign.
She noted that this was nothing other than becoming the guardian of the existing status quo and only served the interests of a minority group instead of the entire people.
