A coalition of 108 civil society groups, trade unions, political parties and other organisations from both communities has issued a joint appeal for the resumption of negotiations on the Cyprus issue.
The statement was released to coincide with the first visit to Cyprus by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and expresses support for his efforts to overcome the deadlock that has persisted since 2017.
Support for renewed negotiations
The signatories welcomed the UN Secretary-General and expressed appreciation for his continued efforts to revive the negotiating process.
They said that Guterres had remained focused on promoting the interests of the Cypriot people as a whole, while noting that his latest initiative was taking place amid a particularly unstable international and regional environment.
The organisations said they would continue supporting the Secretary-General’s efforts until the negotiating process can resume.
Call for federal reunification
The statement reaffirmed that the objective should remain the reunification of Cyprus through a bicommunal, bizonal federation with political equality, as set out in the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council.
According to the organisations, renewed negotiations should respect the convergences reached before the talks at Crans-Montana ended.
The two sides should then focus on the remaining issues described in the Secretary-General’s six-point framework, they said.
The negotiating process should be results-oriented and conducted with a sense of urgency, the statement added.
Frustration over confidence-building measures
The signatories also expressed deep disappointment over the lack of progress on confidence-building measures, particularly the opening of additional crossing points.
They argued that every new crossing point benefits all Cypriots and should not be made dependent on reciprocal arrangements.
The organisations also criticised the lack of progress on the IMAGINE programme, which they described as particularly important for Cyprus’ younger generation.
They called on the two leaders to implement all meaningful confidence-building measures discussed to date.
The 108 signatories
1 Actor's branch-SIDIKEK PEO
2 AKEL - Progressive Party of the Working People
3 Arif Hasan Tahsin Foundation
4 Association For Social Research (north)
5 Association of Cypriot Refugees in Greece – Cyprus ‘74
6 Association of Historical Dialogue and Research
7 Association of Turkish Cypriot Artists and Authors
8 Athletic-Cultural Youth Association " Peace and Friendship"
9 Australian Peace Initiative for Cyprus (Bi-Communal)
10 Belediye Emekçileri Sendikası / BES "Municipal Workers Union"
11 Bi-communal Centre "Famagusta Avenue Garage"
12 Bi-communal Choir For Peace - Lena Melanidou Δικοινοτική χορωδία Ειρήνης _Λένα Μελανιδου
13 Bi-communal Initiative of Relatives of Missing Persons and Victims of 1963-74 events - Together We Can!
14 Birleşik Kıbrıs Partisi - BKP "United Cyprus Party"
15 Bu Vatan Kıbrıslıların Platformu "This Country Belongs to Cypriots Platform"
16 Civil Society Initiative Association
17 Cooperative Workers Trade Union / KOOP-SEN
18 CTP - Republican Turkish Party
19 CTP Women Organisation
20 CTP Youth
21 Cultural Movement(Kinisi Politismou)
22 Customs Workers Trade Union / GÜÇ-SEN
23 Cypriot Science Education Health and Solidarity Association / KIBES
24 Cypriotism Movement
25 Cypriots' Voice
26 Cyprus Academic Dialogue
27 Cyprus Artists and Writers Union "Kıbrıs Sanatçı ve Yazarlar Birliği"
28 Cyprus Association of Social Psychology
29 Cyprus Environmental Movement (Perivallontiki Kinisi)
30 Cyprus Peace Council
31 Cyprus Publisher’s Association / KYa B
32 Cyprus Reunification Movement
33 Cyprus Song Association / KIBHAD
34 Cyprus Sustainability Institute
35 Cyprus Turkish Secondary Teachers Trade Union / KTOEÖS
36 Cyprus Turkish State Employees Union / ÇAĞSEN
37 Cyprus Turkish Teachers Trade Union / KTÖS
38 CYPRUS WOMEN BICOMMUNAL COALITION (CWBC)
39 Cyprus Youth Platform
40 Decision for Peace (Απόφαση Ειρήνης)
41 Eastern mediterranean University Union of Academic Staff / DAU-SEN
42 EDON - Youth organisation
43 EKA - Ένωση Αγροτών Κυπρου - Cyprus Peasant's Union
44 Elpida initiative
45 EL-SEN "Cyprus Turkish Electricity Insitution Employees Union"
46 EMU Unity and Solidarity Trade Union / DAÜ-BİR-SEN
47 Enfield Cypriots Association (Bi-communal)
48 Enorasis sociocultural club
49 Epilogi Limassol cultural movement
50Europa Nostra Heritage Hub in Nicosia
51 Famagusta Initiative
52 Famagusta Our Town
53 Federation of Cyprus Workers' and Laborers' Unions / Kıbrıs İşçi ve Emekçi Sendikaları Federasyonu (KİEF)
54 Girne Düşünce Derneği "Kyrenia Thought Association"
55 Hands Αcross the Divide
56 HASDER - Folk Arts Institute
57 Home for Cooperation
58 Human Rights Platform
59 IKME Sociopolitical Studies Institute
60 INVEST IN EDUCATION
61 İskele Citizens İnitiative
62 KIBRIS TEK YURT HEP BiRLiKTE- ΚΥΠΡΟΣ ΜΙΑ ΠΑΤΡΙΔΑ ΟΛOΙ ΜΑΖΙ
63 Kıbrıs’ta Federal Çözüm ve Barış İnsiyatifi
64 KISA – Action for Equality, Support, Antiracism
65 Kontea Heritage Foundation
66 Larnaca for Solution - Reunification Movement
67 Left Wing - Αριστερή Πτέρυγα
68 Limassol Civil İnitiative ‘Solution-Reunification-Peace”
69 mMedical Association( Tabipler Birliği)
70 Movement for a Federal Cyprus
71 Neokleous Lyceum Alumni Association
72 New Cyprus Association
73 New Cyprus Party / YKP
74 NGO Support Centre
75 OPEK - Association for Social Reform
76 Pancyprian Federation of Trade Unions PEO
77 Peace & Solidarity Initiative with Cyprus (P.E.A.K)
78 Peace Association-Kıbrıs Türk Barış Derneği
79 People's Peace Platform for United Cyprus (London)
80 POGO Women’s Movement
81 Post Research Institute
82 Proodeftiki Primary School Teachers movement
83 Proodeftiki Secondary School Teachers movement
84 Proodeftiki Student Association
85 Proodeftiki Technical Schools
86 Publishers Trade Union / BASIN-SEN
87 Revolutionary Workers Union Federation / Dev- İŞ
88 Social Alliance - Κοινωνική Συμμαχία
89 Socialist İnitiative (Protovoulia Socialiston)
90 Sol Hareket "Left Movement"
91 Stop the War Coalition
92 Symfiliosi / Uzlaşma / Reconciliation
93 TDP- Toplumcu Demokrasi Partisi
94 The Cyprus Peace and Dialogue Center (CPDC) - Barış Kültürü Merkezi (CPDC)
95 The Management Centre of the Mediterranean
96 Third Community Forum
97 Turkish Cypriot Association for Democracy (London)(KTDD)
98 Turkish Cypriot Civil Servants Trade Union / KTAMS
99 Turkish Cypriot Human Rights Foundation
100 Turkish Cypriot Physicians Trade Union / TIP-İŞ "Kıbrıs Türk Hekimler Sendikası"
101 Unite Cyprus Now!
102 United Cyprus Platform of Overseas Cypriots
103 United Democrats Youth organization
104 United Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot Teachers Platform
105 Volt Cyprus
106 We want Federation Left Movement - Αριστερή Κίνηση Θέλουμε Ομοσπονδία
107 Workers Democracy - Εργατική Δημοκρατία
108 Yeşil Barış Hareketi - Green Action Group
