Communiqué (15) – 1/1/2011

By | January 1, 2011

ΦΩΝΗ ΚΥΠΡΙΩΝ – KIBRISLILARIN SESİ – CYPRIOTS’ VOICE

New Year message

On the occasion of the New Year’s Eve, the Cypriots’ Voice extends wishes to the people of Cyprus for a happy new year, free of the passions and obsessions of the past that kept us captives of hatred and mistrust.

We appeal to both communities of Cyprus and the government and people of Turkey to leave aside symptoms of obsolete nationalism as the one shown recently by Greek Cypriot hooligans against Turkish athletes and the distraction of the Christmas service by policemen at Rizokarpaso, and to stand firm in the effort to achieve a negotiated settlement of the protracted Cyprus conflict in a win-win spirit.

We underline that what had been done by a small group of racists, should not be used to blame a whole community. However the potential damage of similar events to the trust between the communities is a real danger and should not be underestimated. We invite the authorities to take strict measures to prevent any potential future racist attacks and to severely punish such events in both communities.

We strongly denounce symptoms of resurgence of nationalism in both communities as well as the campaign against reunification of Cyprus within a federal framework. We consider such attitudes as blocking the road to solution, peace, and stability in the triangle of Cyprus, Turkey, and Greece, and as taking us back to the outdated 1960s and 1970s into a climate of intolerance which is detrimental to all peoples concerned.

We strongly believe that these symptoms will be eliminated with the implementation of a solution in line with the parameters already agreed during the negotiations, so that we can live together under a federal roof turning our minds towards a peaceful future.

Cypriots’ Voice – Communiqué no 15 – 1/1/2011