Cyprus Talks: Akinci rejects proposal by Greek Cypriot for EU police force as substitute for guarantors

Cyprus: The Turkish Republic of North Cyprus TRNC has rejected a proposal by the Greek Cypriots side to replace the guarantor system with the deployment of about 2,500 police officers from the European Union to provide security in Cyprus, in the event of reunification.


TRNC President, Mustafa Akinci, opposed the proposal presented by Greek Cypriot counterpart Nicos Anastasiades, to make use of 2,500 EU police officers on the island, instead of the current guarantor-ship system.
Under a 1960 treaty, Britain, along with Turkey and Greece, is one of the guarantor states of Cyprus.


According to reports from Greek Cypriot media concerning the proposal, the current guarantor-ship system was proposed to be totally lifted and EU police forces, which will not consist of either Turkish, Greek or British police officers, will be deployed on the island for a period of five years with the option of an extension upon the request of either the Turkish or Greek Cypriots.

Within the scope of the Greek Cypriot proposal, first a friendship and cooperation deal will be signed between Turkey, Greece and the to-be-formed new federal Cyprus state and on the first day of the deal, 75 percent of the Turkish troops on the island will leave the island, and the remaining 25 percent will stay on the island for an unspecified time, until which they will have to operate from just one barracks.

When Turkish troops totally withdraw from the island and a peace deal enters into force, a police force of 2,500 officers from the EU will be deployed to the border between the two founding states of Turkish and Greek Cyprus.

The EU police force will be under the command of the United Nations and their five years tenure can be extended upon the demand of the founding Cyprus states.

The police force will cooperate with the federal Cypriot state and will act according to U.N. and EU rules.

Turkey, Greece and UK police officers will not be part of the police force, and will only play a counseling and mediator role in case of any conflict.

Source: LGC News