Antoniou says Averof’s Cyprus problem rhetoric is ‘counterproductive’

Deputy government spokesman Yiannis Antoniou on Monday said that former Disy leader Averof Neophytou’s comments on the Cyprus problem were “counterproductive”, after Neophytou had a day earlier lamented that his calls for progress to be made had fallen on “deaf ears”. “With the greatest of respect to Neophytou and to everyone, someone who presents himself as the leader of the solution means that he is implying, even if unintentionally, that the rest do not want a solution or are not trying to solve the Cyprus problem,” he told television channel Alpha. He added that “we have had these phenomena in the past”, before saying that “I think it is counterproductive, especially at a time when we are really fighting to break Turkey’s intransigence, for us to internally send the message that there are politicians who do not want a solution to the Cyprus problem”. “I think we all heard [Turkish President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan at the general assembly, what he said, and so on. We should, especially politicians who appear to care about a solution to the Cyprus problem, be doubly and triply careful,” he said. Related Articles • Erhurman meets Guterres, denies rejecting tripartite meeting • Greek Cypriots ask New York diplomats to ‘refrain’ from meeting Turkish Cypriots • Guterres, Mitsotakis discuss Cyprus problem • Erdogan tells Burnham of need for ‘equal international status’ for Turkish Cypriots • Guterres, Erdogan ‘exchange views’ on Cyprus problem • Erhurman calls for enlarged meeting ‘where success is guaranteed’ He also briefly passed comment on Neophytou’s announcement that he will run for president in 2028, saying that “we believe that this election campaign is opening too early”. Neophytou had said on Sunday that “the window of hope for the Cyprus problem has unfortunately remained closed” and that “after the high-level contacts in New York, not a single thing was agreed upon”. He added that “the dead ends remain” and that “the black clouds covering this place are getting thicker”, before saying that “I warned in vain that time was not working for us”. Averof: It seems I was addressing deaf ears File photo: Averof Neophytou “We did not even succeed in opening negotiations. It seems I was addressing deaf ears. The country’s leadership preferred the beaten path,” he said. He went on to say that “I share the anguish and will of a large proportion of our compatriots for a national awakening, for mobilisation with a vision for the reunification of our homeland and the end of the occupation”. This, he said, will constitute “a patriotic vigilance which will take us out of the nirvana of passivity, resignation, and de facto and acceptance of the status quo”. “I am joining this honourable fight. I am declaring myself present and hereby submit my candidacy for the 2028 presidential elections, to solve this place’s big problems, to give prospects to young people, to create a just society,” he said. Last week’s United Nations “high-level week” in New York was turbulent for the Cyprus problem, with the island’s two sides ending it no closer than they started it, despite a flurry of meetings involving the two sides, the three guarantor powers, Greece, Turkey, and the United Kingdom, and the UN. No progress made despite flurry of meeting On Friday night, the Cyprus Mail was told by Greek Cypriot diplomatic sources that Erhurman “did not consent” to the holding of a tripartite meeting, while the newspaper was also informed of a letter sent to the permanent representatives to the UN of all its member states asking them not to meet Turkish Cypriots. The letter warned them that the Cypriot government had acquired “information that representatives of the secessionist entity are currently in New York seeking meetings to promote their secessionist policies”. “The permanent mission of the Republic of Cyprus respectfully requests the esteemed permanent missions and observer missions to refrain from any contact or meetings with representatives of the secessionist entity, in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the United Nations security council,” it said. That lack of progress made this week comes despite various meetings having been held on the Cyprus problem, with Christodoulides, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan having all met Guterres earlier in the week. Additionally, Christodoulides, Erhurman, and Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis all met UN Cyprus problem envoy Maria Angela Holguin, while Erdogan also met British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who, in turn, later met Christodoulides. Prior to this week, the two sides had been in open disagreement over the meaning of political equality, crossing points, and the methodology of the talks. It is not yet clear whether the leaders will continue to hold weekly meetings, as they had done prior to this week.