AKEL Press Spokesperson, Giorgos Koukoumas, responded to DISY and the government, stating that any NATO involvement conflicts with the Guterres Framework and the goal of freeing Cyprus from guarantors and guardians.
AKEL against NATO involvement of Cyprus
The Progressive Party of Working People (AKEL) has reiterated its opposition to any continuation of the 1960 guarantor system in Cyprus, arguing that the country should have a future free from external guarantors and unilateral intervention rights.
Referring to the framework presented by UN Secretary-General António Guterres during the 2017 Conference on the Cyprus Problem, the party noted that the proposal called for the abolition of the guarantee system, its replacement with a mechanism to implement a settlement, the elimination of the unilateral right of intervention, and the withdrawal of foreign troops within a short timeframe.
AKEL argued that proposals to retain the guarantor system through NATO involvement are incompatible with the Guterres Framework on security. The party called on the governing Democratic Rally (DISY), the administration of President Nikos Christodoulides, and others who have advocated a NATO role in resolving the Cyprus issue to clarify their positions.
Specifically, AKEL asked whether they support resuming negotiations from the point at which they were suspended, based on the Guterres Framework and its provisions on security. It also questioned whether it is reasonable to ask the Cypriot people to accept the continuation of the guarantor regime in pursuit of the political objective of Cyprus joining NATO.