If you give way, you will
instantly have to meet some greater demand, as having been
frightened into obedience in the first instance; while a firm
refusal will make them clearly understand that they must treat
you more as equals. Make your decision therefore at once, either
to submit before you are harmed, or if we are to go to war, as I
for one think we ought, to do so without caring whether the
ostensible cause be great or small, resolved against making
concessions or consenting to a precarious tenure of our
possessions. For all claims from an equal, urged upon a neighbour
as commands before any attempt at legal settlement, be they great
or be they small, have only one meaning, and that is slavery.
[Speach of Pericles - Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian
War, Chapter V]
Holy Synod rejects Annan plan
Nicosia, Nov 18 (CNA) -- The Holy Synod of Cyprus' Orthodox Church has said that UN Secretary General's plan for a settlement in Cyprus could not be accepted because it is not in line with the international law principles, the human rights, the European Court of Human Rights rulings and the UN resolutions but on the contrary legalises the faits accomplis of the Turkish invasion and occupation.
Cyprus' Bishops, who convened here yesterday, said that the proposed settlement contains ample of negatives and violates the right of free movement, settlement and property, legalises and makes permanent the remaining of illegal settlers, deprives all refugees of their right to return to their ancestral homes and by the veto right provided for all three authorities, the executive, the law and the judicial it equals the Greek Cypriots who constitute the 82% of the island's population with the Turkish Cypriots who constitute the 18% of the population.
THE CHURCH OF CYPRUS REJECTS THE ANNAN PLAN
Phileleftheros 18 November 2002
“It is not consistent with the principles of international law and human rights”
The proposed plan for a settlement of the Cyprus problem cannot be accepted, because it is not consistent with the principles of international law, human rights, European common law, decisions of the European Court of Human Rights, and the decisions and resolutions of the United Nations, whereas on the contrary it legalizes the accomplishments of the invasion and occupation.
The Holy Synod of the Church of Cyprus adopted unanimously the above position on November 18, 2002 during its first convention following the long illness of the archbishop of Cyprus and in his absence. The Holy Synod convened in Nicosia at the temporary headquarters of the Bishop of Kyrenia. A press release by the Holy Synod of the Church of Cyprus, cosigned by the Bishops Chrysostomos of Paphos, Pavlos of Kyrenia, Athanasios of Limassol, Neophytos of Morphou, Basileios of Trimythounta, Georgios of Arsinoe and Nikiforos of Kykkos, includes the following statement:
“The proposed solution through its numerable negative elements violates the right of free movement, settlement and property ownership, legalizes and makes permanent residents the illegal settlers even though International Law considers settlement “as a serious crime against world peace and security”, invalidates the right of return of all refugees to their ancestral homes, and through the veto right stipulated for the three powers, the executive, legislative and judicial, equalizes the Greek Cypriot population of 82% to the Turkish Cypriot population of 18% thus making the solution unfair and functionally non-viable. It should also be emphasized that the forced expropriation and exchange of properties is contrary to any principle of law, and the non-withdrawal of all foreign troops from the island (first and foremost the occupation forces) while the Cyprus National Guard is dissolved, is a source of insecurity for the Greek Cypriots and is a direct threat to their survival. But the territorial arrangements foreseen by the plan as well are unfair, since 18% of the population will possess 28.5% of the land and 55% of the coastline that constitutes the most valuable natural resource for the island, with the city of Morphou having no outlet to the sea and the broader area of Famagusta completely cut-off from the rest of the Greek-Cypriot sector since in a suspicious and shrewd manner the Turkish Cypriot sector extends through a narrow strip of land and joins the British Base at Dekelia as shown in the published maps.”
The Bishop Nikiforos of Kykkos in an interview in the Athens daily Vima stated that “There is no doubt that the plan presented by the U.N. Secretary General is a bitter and painful solution that wounded the heart of the Greek Cypriots like a sword of fire. It is totally inconsistent with the principles of international law, human rights, European law, and U.N. decisions and resolutions, while on the contrary it solidifies at large the accomplishments of invasion and occupation”.
"Refuse to negotiate" - Kotsou
Cyprus Weekly 15 November 2002
NEW Horizons leader and February 2003's presidential runner Nicos Kotsou believes the government should refuse to negotiate the UN-proposed Cyprus peace plan.
"Personally, I believe we should not agree to negotiate this plan because the procedure is also part of the substance. And the biq question is: if we do accept this procedure, will we have the chance to back out if we reach deadlock?" Kotsou said in a televised press conference yesterday.
"Yes, we do mind the set timetables as well as the substance because, by accepting phase one of the plan, this implies that 90% of the Cyprus problem is actually solved," he added.
However, he clarified that the right-wing party's official line on this will be taken on Sunday at a special conference.
He then slammed both the Cyprus and Greek governments, accusing them of misinforming the public and "playing games as to which one will take the burden of the responsibility for this unacceptable settlement."
Pressure
"Firstly, who gave the right to the UN Secretary General to take a referee's role on a committal basis? No one. And what about the psychological pressure put on the citizens when they are presented with the dilemma that if they turn down this plan they may as well wave goodbye to the island's EU membershiop?" he asked.
Kotsou said the Euroepan Union has made it clear it does not link the island's accession with a political settlement.
"So what we propose is simple: Cyprus should get the green light for accession in December without agreeing to any political settlement. Then use the time betwwn December and Januarly 2004 when it becomes a full member for hard and systematic negotiations," he also said.
That's why Kotsou strongly objects to the provision in the proposed plan calling for the withdrawal of the fourth inter-governmental case against Turkey before the European Court of Human Rights.
"This case, as well as that of Titina Loizidou, are the strong legal tools that we have against Turkey. Yet, our negotiators decided to throw them out of the window, which means that Turkey will never pay the political cost of its war crimes," Kotsou said.
"Then they tell refugees, who won't even have the right to choose whether to go back to their homes or not, that the new fedreal state will pay them compensation. In other words, we, the tax payers will pay this money out of our own pockets," he added.
He also raised the issue of the thousands of Turkish settlers flooding the occupied areas, saying this is probably the worst part of the proposed plan.
"The majority there are not Turkish Cypriots, but Turkish settlers. The government's fairy tale that all settlers will leave after an agreed settlement is over. All settlers will stay and what's even harder to accept is that all these settlers are the pseudostate's reservists," Kotsou said.
"Not to mention that gradually all these settlers will be allowed to come and live in the Greek Cypriot state, if they so choose. However, Greek Cypriots will be restricted from buying property in the north, something that is in violation of the EU acquis, since it constitutes a blatant violation of their basic human rights," he added."
THE CHURCH OF GREECE ON THE CYPRUS ISSUE
MPA: Athens, 20 November 2002 (17:31 UTC+2)
The Church of Greece cannot congratulate UN Secretary General Kofi Annan for the plan for the solution of the Cyprus problem and does not believe that this is a plan for a real solution to the problem. The above were stressed by Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All of Greece after the Church of Greece Holy Synod meeting on the developments in the Cyprus issue.
The Archbishop pointed out that the Greek Church welcomes the Annan initiative for the solution of the Cyprus problem stressing, however, that the plan does not adhere, to the decisions of the UN which he represents.
The Holy Synod came to the conclusion that the Annan Plan does not have as a guideline the law of the EU and that it includes the likelihood of a long suffering with victims the members of the two communities in Cyprus.
The Archbishop underlined that the Church of Greece expresses satisfaction for Cyprus' EU accession course and expects that the EU leadership will confirm its decision for Cyprus' accession during the Copenhagen Summit meeting.
Archbishop Christodoulos recognized that the current situation makes the solution of the problem compelling and issued an appeal to the political leadership of Hellenism to remain firm to the values and principles respected by the Greek nation and mainly, the principle of freedom. He also clarified that the Church does not give directions to the political leadership and supports the Greek nation, not in a political sense, stressing that the Cyprus issue is a national issue.
Earlier, the Archbishop held meetings with Cypriot hierarchs. Metropolite Chrisostomos of Paphos underlined that there is a need to exert real pressure on the Greek and Cypriot leadership to hold tough negotiations because the Annan Plan cannot be operational. Also, Metropolite Pavlos of Kerinia pointed out that the Annan Plan aims at the self-abolition of the Cypriot Republic.
Greek Church strongly criticizes Annan plan for Cyprus
Athens, 21/11/2002 (ANA)
The Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Greece on Wednesday voiced strong criticism of the United Nations plan for Cyprus, after being briefed on the positions of the Cypriot Church by two visiting clerics from the island republic.
Pafos Metropolitan Chrysostomos and Kyreneia Metropolitan Pavlos arrived at the Holy Synod session devoted to the Cyprus plan at 11:00, while the gathered clerics had earlier been briefed by Nafpaktos Metropolitan Ierotheos and Kalavryta Metropolitan Amvrosios, who had in turn visited Cyprus for talks with the Church there.
In an announcement read out by Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All Greece, the Church said it could not congratulate United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan on the plan and did not consider it to be a plan for a true solution of the Cyprus problem.
In statements after the meeting, the Pafos Metropolitan described the Annan plan as unworkable and unimplementable in Cyprus.
The Kyreneia Metropolitan who was himself a refugee from the occupied territories said Annan's plan was despicable.
Koutsou hails protest success
By George Psyllides
Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English, 02-11-26
NEW HORIZONS party chief Nicos Koutsou yesterday hailed Sunday's protest against the United Nations plan as a great success, saying those who attended were only a fraction of the thousands opposing the plan.
Around 3,000 people assembled in the Eleftheria stadium in Nicosia on Sunday to voice their opposition to the UN plan.
It was the first organised protest against the plan and it was organised by the Citizens' Movement with the participation of former Greek defence minister Gerasimos Arsenis, as well as numerous other politicians from Greece and Cyprus.
Arsenis said there was no time for negotiations on the plan, stressing the Cyprus needed a clean decision in Copenhagen, free of footnotes concerning the settlement of the Cyprus problem.
The leader of Greek party DIKKI, Demetris Tsovolas, described the plan as "the fabrication of a sick imagination, which is worse than the current illegal situation on the island".
Kyrenia Mayor Constantinos Rologas said the plan was unacceptable, violating all the principles of UN decisions, European courts and basic human rights.
Kyrenia Bishop Pavlos said the plan vindicated the Turkish invaders, adding the only place for sell-outs was at bargain basement shops.
"We are not ready to sell out Cyprus; Cyprus is not the property of (Greek Prime Minister Costas) Simitis or (President Glafcos) Clerides or any politician," Bishop Pavlos said.
Koutsou said yesterday the protest had been a success despite the short notice.
He said the 3,000 who attended were just a fraction of the hundreds of thousands of citizens who, according to surveys, disagree with the plan.
"I believe it was the beginning of popular mobilisation and intervention and this time citizens won't stay indifferent to procedures, which will determine the future of our children for the next 100 years," Koutsou said.
Koutsou urged people to continue to express their views peacefully and within the democratic framework.
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