Speaking the day after the leadership of the two parties met to discuss the elections, DISY’s Harris Georgiades was slightly more optimistic of a partnership than his DIKO counterpart, who strongly hinted his party could put up a candidate of its own.
“I don’t know if it will be the first round, the second round or if there will even be collaboration in the end,” Georgiades told the CyBC. “I don’t want to create expectations that aren’t related to reality.”
But he added: “From this first meeting it seems that there are great grounds for agreement on a programme for the next government.”
Georgiades said the two sides had agreed to continue the dialogue and see how it goes.
“If Nicos Anastassiades, who will be supported by DISY, is officially nominated a presidential candidate next Saturday, he intends to prepare a draft of proposals and suggestions, which will be our contribution to this dialogue,” said Georgiades.
But DIKO spokesman Fotis Fotiou said his party was waiting to meet with ruling party AKEL on Friday before making any decisions.
“We asked (DISY) yesterday to delay the procedure for Nicos Anastassiades’ candidacy until this effort is complete,” said Fotiou, adding that this was rejected by DISY as well as Anastassiades.
He added that DIKO was not excluding any possibility. “DIKO has the right to make its own decision, follow its own strategy and this will be decided after we meet with the AKEL leadership on Friday”.
Asked if DIKO was thinking of putting its president, Marios Garoyian, up for election, Fotiou said: “We will look at all this. We are not discussing names at the moment.”
In the two leaderships’ meeting last Friday, Anastassiades proposed the immediate creation of a mutually accepted government programme, so as “not to lose time” in the second round of the elections.
To surpass the two parties’ disputes regarding the Cyprus problem, Anastassiades suggested they appoint a jo int negotiator and negotiating team, as well as create a solution outline.
The two parties had a pop at President Demetris Christofias during the meeting, mockingly thanking him for helping all parties except AKEL come together, according to reports.
They said Anastassiades had joked about erecting a statue in Christofias’ honour to thank him, saying DISY’s numbers had soared during Christofias’ time in office.
Source: Cyprus-Mail
By Jacqueline Agathocleous
Published on March 11, 2012
