Cyprus Update: Akinci blasts coalition government of ill stance towards negotiations

Cyprus: Turkish Cypriot President Mustafa Akinci on Thursday September 1 briefed all the political parties in North Cyprus on the latest developments in the ongoing Cyprus negotiations and also responded to the coalition government’s demand to have a representative at the Cyprus negotiations.


Akinci said in a statement after the meeting that it is not possible to hold a healthy talks with the government, which insists on having a representative at the negotiations adding that no such demand has ever been made before in previous negotiating processes.

“They are trying to confuse the people by creating fears which are not expressed inside the meeting”, said Akinci adding that the government has “almost launched a ‘no’ campaign saying that if our representative is not there, we also are not there”.

Noting that the government is ill-intentioned, Akinci described it as “totally wrong” to try and confuse the people, despite the fact that during his meetings with the parties he clarified “some inaccurate information reported by Greek Cypriot Politis newspaper”.

Pointing out that this was the second time within the week that he has briefed the parliamentary parties, Akinci stated that soon he may brief the parties which are not represented in the parliament, since “the negotiation process is heading towards an important stage.”

“After the five meetings until 14 September are completed, the process might continue in New York somehow. The target is of course to be able to carry the process to a five party conference after the three party meeting we will hold in New York with the UNSG and lead the procedure to referendum by reaching a solution on the issue of security and guarantees there”.

Akinci stated that whether this will happen or not, depends on the progress made during the next five meetings saying that.

“if the demands of the Greek Cypriot side remain within a realistic and logical framework, we will be able to reach to the point of establishing a bi-zonal, bi-communal federal structure, the parameters of which have been known for many years”.

President Akinci said that he has not been making statements concerning the negotiations to date but felt the need to do so on Wednesday because he does not want the people to be deceived.

He noted that he had been elected president in 2015, receiving 60% of the votes because of the programme he had clearly explained to the people adding that his approach on the Cyprus issue was included in the first paragraph of this programme.

Akinci reiterated that in that programme, he had said from the very first day that he would carry out the negotiations within the framework of the 1977-79 high level agreements signed by late Rauf Denktaş, the convergences between former Turkish Cypriot leader Talat and former President Christofias and the document of 11 February 2014 signed by former President Derviş Eroglu and approved by all the political parties of both the government and the opposition.

Akinci said that he cannot take along with him all the members of his negotiating team for every meeting, during the current stage of negotiations, but said that during the last meeting, for example, an expert on law issues from both communities accompanied the leaders and negotiators.

Akinci noted that there is still no document ready for a referendum saying that he is working on achieving this and if he does he will be able to brief the people;

“Yes, now we will be able to be included in the international law, we will put an end to the uncertainty for future generations, we will get rid of the discrimination between title deeds of Turkish origin and title deeds of non-Turkish origin and you will take your position in the EU as an honourable member because this is not only a right for the Greek Cypriots”.

Source: LGC news