Statement on the Cyprus Problem
In the framework of the 28th Pancyprian Youth and Students Festival, EDON hosted an International Meeting under the slogan “The struggle of youth against the imperialist interventions in Middle East”, in which many foreign organizations participated.
In this framework, EDON note the following:
- The Cyprus problem is in essence an international problem of invasion and illegal occupation that took place after the fascist coup d’etat of the junta of Greece and EOKA B and the Turkish invasion that followed, on 15th and 20th July respectively. It is an international problem that violates the principles of International Law and the Charter of the United Nations.
- The Cyprus problem is also a product of the actions of the nationalist-chauvinist groups in both communities, that created the conditions for the execution of the NATO imperialist plans for the division of Cyprus, whilst at the same time imposing the division of the two communities and interrupting their peaceful coexistence.
- We support the struggle of the people of Cyprus, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots for freedom and reunification. We underline that the continuation of the status quo will only benefit plans that do not serve the interests of the people of Cyprus. The status quo only creates obstacles for peace and prosperity for the Cypriot people.
- Turkey must finally stop holding the people of Cyprus hostage to its imperialist interests. We call on Turkey to abandon its intransigent policies, to stop promoting the consolidation of the fait accomplis on the ground, to terminate the violation of the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus and withdraw its army and occupation forces from the island.
- We recall the shameless role of NATO in the creation of the Cyprus problem; we support the demilitarization of the island and the revocation of the anachronistic “Treaty of Guarantees”.
- We support the effort of the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots to find a peaceful, viable and functional solution within the framework UN resolutions, for a bi-zonal bi-communal federal solution, with a single sovereignty, a single international personality, a single citizenship with political equality as set out in the relevant UN resolutions; a solution in accordance with International Law and all the relevant UN resolutions which are against the imperialist policies promoting partition, as well as chauvinism and nationalism.