Akinci said that he is ready to announce details of the talks only if the Greek Cypriot leader does so jointly
According to illegal Bayrak television (online, 12.03.16), Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci and the Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Anastasiades held their first meeting for the month of March on Friday.
Making a statement upon his return to his office, Akinci said that convergences on issues from various chapters were sought and the work carried out by the two sides’ negotiators over the past few weeks was reviewed during their meeting. He added that they were also carrying out efforts so that outside developments will not harm the ongoing negotiations process.
Referring to the statements made by Greek Cypriot EDEK party leader Marinos Sizopoulos, Akinci argued that this behaviour was carried out by a political party that does not support a federal solution and aimed at harming the ongoing Cyprus negotiations process. He added: “I am not trying to withhold information from the public but the talks have a specific character and this has been understood and respected for many years. Why Mr Sizopoulos acted this way is understandable as this is a party that has denounced the bi-zonal and bi-communal federation”.
He further said that, as the Turkish Cypriots’ elected leader, he will continue the process with a focus on the agreements and commitments undertaken to date, but will not announce any details with regards to the negotiations, expressing certainty that none of the “deputies” or political parties in the “north” would do what Sizopoulos did, as the goal is to find a mutually acceptable settlement.
Asked whether or not the issue of occupied Morphou was brought to the negotiating table, Akinci said that no such issue was taken up at the talks and added that territorial adjustments will be discussed at the end of the talks.
Upon being reminded of the EDEK leader’s statements regarding citizenships, Akinci said that all of the statements made by Sizopoulos were not true. He explained that it is well-known that the federal court will comprise of an equal number of judges from each community. He added that there might be one category of people who will choose to live in an area without any legal settlement or voting rights, another group of people that will have a legal right to settle but limited voting rights like Greek Cypriots living in the occupied area of Karpassia and a third will include people who can have the internal citizenship of the other constituent state, like Greek-speaking Turkish Cypriots. “On these issues no definitive agreement has yet been reached”, said Akinci and added that the two sides’ views are very close on this issue.
Akinci declined to give details on the new convergences, saying that the Turkish Cypriot side is ready to announce details of the talks only if the Greek Cypriot leader or their representatives do so jointly.
He claimed that EDEK’s stance aims at undermining the Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades and his party, as well as the parties that support a settlement to the Cyprus problem, in the upcoming Cyprus parliamentary election.
Akinci reiterated the principle that “nothing has been agreed until everything has been agreed”, pointing out that significant progress and convergences have been achieved.
Asked a question regarding Confidence Building Measures (CBMs), Akinci argued that the issue of mobile phone networks has been deadlocked due to the laws in “south Cyprus” (editor’s note: the laws of the Republic of Cyprus) and added that if these obstacles are overcome only then more concrete steps will be taken on the CBMs.