Cyprus Talks: Group calls on leaders to end division now

Peace activists under the umbrella of #UniteCyprusNow have called on the leaders of the divided Cyprus island to end the blame game, following the collapse of reunification talks in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, urging both leaders to take their share of responsibility and jointly call on the UN Secretary General to restart the negotiations based on the 30 June framework.

The citizens’ initiative, expressed their deep concerns over the failure of the Cyprus Conference in Switzerland earlier this month and noted the reluctance of the two leaders to revive the negotiations since the talks failed.

the group in an announcement, stressed that “the consequences of the collapse of the federal solution process will be grave, with an inevitable permanent partition of the island” and that the two leaders will be remembered as the architects of this outcome.

The group also called on the leaders to take immediate measures to build an environment for peaceful cooperation and to educate people on the bizonal and bicommunal federation as they see it being the “only possible and viable solution” for Cyprus.

They also urge the leaders to promote cooperation at all levels of society.

The group called on the leaders to take measures to eliminate “the official nationalistic rhetoric” and to authorize the Bicommunal Technical Committee to reform the education system in a way that coexistence is promoted.

They also call on the leaders to deal with hate crimes, which are particularly targeting Turkish Cypriots.

The group concludes its announcement by urging both leaders to act as the “perception that the status-quo will be sustained and that Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots will be able to continue living in a comfortable conflict is a dangerous delusion”.

Culled from inCyprus