Despite the growing optimism for a solution to the Cyprus issue, Australian Cypriots remain committed to their struggle for justice. During the 44th Pan-Australian Convention of the the Federation of Cyprus Communities of Australia & New Zealand convention held in Adelaide last weekend, a statement was issued warning of the attempts to upgrade the Turkish-Cypriot ‘pseudostate’s’ status in the international community, as part of the talks for a unification of the torn country.
The gradual approach of the Cypriot state and the Turkish Cypriot community has led to a prevailing sentiment of hope among the international community and the prospect of a federation seems to be more realistic than ever.
Recently, Cypriot president Nikos Anastasiadis pledged that he will deliver a unified Cyprus by the end of his term in 2018, but this should not be the cause of complacency, noted Constantinos Prokopiou, president of the Pan-Australian Justice for Cyprus Coordinating Committee (PASEKA), in a statement he made during the convention.
“At this stage of talks, we should not allow any upgrade of the pseudo-state’s status that could influence the course of negociations, or even the increase of the Turkish-Cypriot community irrational demands, when we reach the final stage. “There are cases of recent such attempts in Australia, which we should address effectively.”
Echoing this sentiment, the president of the Federation of Cyprus Communities of Australia & New Zealand, Michael Christodoulou, made an impression with his personal address to the federal MP of Hindmarsh, Matt Williams, in which he sent a message to the Australian government to refrain from withdrawing its police precence in Cyprus, before a viable solution to the Cyprus problem is reached.
