CYPRUS Solution will leave no winners or losers, as Leaders reiterate their determination to reunify Cyprus.

GC Leader, “I have the privilege to be here with Mustafa Akıncı, a Turkish Cypriot leader, who shares the same vision; A vision of transforming Cyprus into a model of ethnic, cultural, religious, and linguistic cooperation and coexistence.”

He further pointed out that “we both agree on the fact that turning our vision into reality will not materialise overnight.” It will require, he noted, “political courage and determination in order to overcome challenges so as to reach a settlement, which will respect the sensitivities of both sides; A solution that will leave no winners or losers.”

On his part Mustafa Akinci said he feels privileged to paying tribute to a “special man” as he described the late Glafcos Clerides, together with Anastasiades “with whom we have embarked on a journey to create a better future for our common country.”

He referred to the Greek Poet Kavafis and his famous poem Ithaca.  As he said in the poem Kavafis “advises people to always keep Ithaca in their minds during their journey.”

Likewise, he pointed out, “I believe we must not lose sight of our goal for a better and brighter future for our younger generations in a bi-communal and bi-zonal federal solution where all Cypriots will live in peace and harmony.”

“Let us join forces in order to achieve a mutually acceptable solution as soon as possible. The journey of negotiations has been going on too long”, he said. Let us keep our journey to Ithaca much shorter this time, he urged, adding that much has already been learned from the previous journeys.

“Let us demonstrate the necessary determination to change the fate of Sisiphus”, he stressed.

Referreing to Clerides was one of the few leaders with whom he could establish a sincere dialogue during the period when both of them were party leaders.

Clerides` daughter, Katie, said “it was my fathers deepest wish to see his beloved Cyprus reunited”.

“I am therefore deeply honoured and happy that the two leaders who are committed to reunification and are working tirelessly to achieve this end are here with us today to honour my father and inaugurate his library” she added.

Referring to the Rita and Costas Severis Centre for Visual Arts and Research, she recalled that it is the first bi-communal museum in Cyprus pointing out that “this was the most significant reason for my choosing it.”

Credit: IN-Cyprus