Deputy Government Spokesman Victoras Papadopoulos has said that recent statements by Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci reaffirm Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades` assessment that there is still a long way to go in the negotiations and major difficulties that need to be addressed.
Papadopoulos noted that it is obvious from Akinci`s statements that there is a significant gap on issues related both to the settlement process and the substance of the Cyprus problem.
He added that “our will was and continues to be that the whole acquis communautaire is implemented to the benefit of both communities, with no permanent derogations. It is also our belief that respect of bizonality does not contradict the implementation of the basic human rights,” he underlined.
He said that they do not consider it necessary to comment on each point of Akinci`s statements, as President Anastasiades intends to raise the serious issues that have emerged, during his meeting on Monday, October 12, with Akinci, in the framework of the UN-led negotiations on the problem of Cyprus, divided since the Turkish invasion of the island in 1974.
Anastasiades and Akinci have been engaged in the negotiations since May this year, with a view to reunite the island under a federal roof.