Democratic Palestine : 9 (ص 34)
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- Democratic Palestine : 9 (ص 34)
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Interview with AKEL-Cyprus
At a seminar arranged in Damascus, by «Al Nahj» Arab communist journal, on the occasion of the 40th
anniversary of the defeat of fascism, we had the opportunity to interview Central Committee member
Olympios Mikhael of AKEL-the Progressive Party of the Working People of Cyprus (the communist
party).
After the latest negotiations bet-
ween Cyprus President Kyp-
rianuo and the Cypriot Turkish
leader Denktash, under UN
auspices, failed, what is the situ-
ation for the Cyprus crisis?
Our party believes that the failure is
not only due to the President of the
Republic of Cyprus. The imperialists are
highly responsible because they pro-
voked the whole problem. The Turkish
side also shares responsibility due to its
intransigence. We consider that the draft
solution provided by the UN Secretary
General gives the basis for a solution
acceptable to the two communities in
Cyprus. The prospects were not fixed in
the document of the UN Secretary Gen-
eral, but were to be fixed in this discus-
sion. In our view, the problem of Cyprus
cannot be solved outside the framework
of the UN. It is preferable to discuss with
the Cypriot Turkish side in order to find a
solution acceptable to both com-
munities. In this case, Cyprus must
become an independent, integral, fed-
eral republic. It must continue to be non-
aligned, and be totally demilitarized.
We consider this last demand as
one of our tasks with international con-
sequences, especially for the Middle
East and Mediterranean area. If Cyprus
is promoted to a bridgehead for the
imperialists, the danger to other peoples
around is great. We know that the
imperialists would like to transform Cyp-
rus into an advanced NATO base and
headquarters for the Rapid Deployment
Force. That is why we are fighting for a
completely demilitarized Cyprus. This
international aspect of the Cyprus prob-
lem must be addressed not only by
Greek Cypriots, but by Turkish Cypriots
as well.
Concerning the problem of our
President's refusal to sign the UN docu-
ment: Some people consider that we are
trying to push him out, but this is not the
main effort of our party. We are trying to
have him sign the document prepared
by the UN Secretary General, because
34
this will open the way to a peaceful solu-
tion. Of course, this would not solve all
aspects of the Cyprus problem, but it
would open the way for a fruitful discus-
sion between our communities, so that
the problem could be solved according
to the wishes of our people, and not
according to the interests of the
imperialists.
In the parliament, 66% of the MPs
voted for a resolution asking the Presi-
dent to sign the document prepared by
the UN Secretary General. So there is
now a kind of confrontation between this
majority and the minority consisting of
the government. Perhaps you know that
in December, the President declared
that he had stopped the democratic
cooperation between the AKEL and
DIKO party. We consider that this was
on US advice. The Americans spread
the illusion that they are going to help
solve the Cyprus problem. When the
President quit the democratic coopera-
tion, he put his party in the minority, for
Akel has more than 33% of the votes; we
have 12 out of 35 MPs.
By coincidence, our party's opinion
on accepting the UN document is shared
by the right wing party. Of course, to
avoid confusion, | must say that we have
many differences with this party, first of
all, political ones, then tactical ones. We
stand for a Cyprus that is truly indepen-
dent. The right wing party stands for a
Cyprus closely involved with the West.
We do not want Cyprus to be in any bloc,
especially not NATO; that is why we pre-
fer that Cyprus is non-aligned. This is a
great difference with the right wing party,
but since this party took about 33% of
the votes, with our 33% this means 66%
of the parliament is against the Presi-
dent. This is a political problem. We
asked the President either to proceed to
sign the document, opening the way to
talks with the Turkish side, or apply to
the people to see their reaction.
What is the danger to the Cypriot
and Mediterranean peoples of
the military bases in Cyprus, to
be used by the US Central Com-
mand?
The Central Command headquar-
ters are in Turkey, but they would like to
make Cyprus the headquarters. That is
why the Americans are trying, on the
premise that they are going to help solve
the Cyprus problem, to appear as
friends. They promise that after the solu-
tion of the problem, they will give an
amount of money that would enable the
Cyprus government to compensate
those who are not returned to their
homes. The US effort to appear as
friends is in order to have Cyprus be flex-
ible towards them and allow their use of
military bases.
There is another aspect. The milit-
ary bases are British, and the British are
suffering financial difficulties. According
to the Zurich-London agreements, if the
British are not able to operate the bases,
they must be returned to the Republic of
Cyprus. The Americans are interfering
so as to have the responsibility for
operating these. bases transferred to
them.
We consider it a great task to fight
for peace and prevent Cyprus being
transformed into a military base for the
US. Of course, it is known that in the
area occupied by Turkish troops, a very
huge military airport is under construc-
tion, the biggest in the Middle East area.
The US prefers to make use of this base
under an agreement with a new Cypriot
government, because now the so-called
Turkish state is a pseudo-state; it is not
recognized. So the US prefers to be
given these bases after a solution.
The US plans are not new.
For example, twenty years ago, there
was a scheme whereby Cyprus would
be divided into two, with one part given
to Greece and the other to Turkey. The
imperialists continue insisting on such a
scheme because it means that they
could avoid the headache of Cyprus as
an independent, non-aligned country.
They prefer to join the two parts with the
«motherlands», in order to transform
Cyprus into a NATO base. Since Turkey - هو جزء من
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