Mustafa Akinci – New President of
Turkish Republic of North Cyprus
By Dr Christian Heinze……
The outcome of the Presidential elections in TRNC which took place last weekend suggests speculations concerning the influence of the new President, Mustafa Akinci, on the future of Cyprus.
Mustafa Akinci is a successful and popular politician, experienced mainly in the field of communal administration of Lefkoşa. This experience includes valuable cooperation with his Greek counterpart. 
This gives cause for hope to those who believe in an imminent Greek-and-Turkish accord over Cyprus.
Akinci has indicated interesting and viable visions of preparing such an accord by preliminary agreement on individual disputed subjects. He suggests, for example, common reconstruction and administration of Varosha and the use of the harbour of Gazimagusa together with direct flights to and from Ercan in the common Greek and Turkish interest. The response by the President of Greek Cyprus, promising a map of former mine-fields in the Kyrenia range or enhanced but limited use of the Turkish language in the south of the island, does not, however, appear very congenial.
As Mustafa Akinci was among the supporters of the Annan-Plan, he is likely to support a resumption of the project as envisaged by the United Nations administration. Mr. Eide is likely to come back to this point during his visit planned for the coming week. A plan to solve, on hundreds or even dozens of pages, all conceivable present and future disputes between Greek and Turkish Cypriots provides, however, no security but rather a source for endless detailed legal and illegal quarrel and strife, even more so than the so called Cyprus Constitution of 1960. The Annan project, at the stage reached so far, leaves open (or even denies) the fundamental requirement of absolute Turkish police and judiciary authority over the Turkish Cypriot federated territory to be, and of its military guarantee.
Probably the most important aspect of the political attitude expressed by Mustafa Akinci is his pronounced claim for equal footing of Turkish and Turkish Cypriot Cyprus policy. The democratic legitimacy of this claim is indicated by the participation of more than 64% of the eligible Turkish Cypriot voters. The echo from Ankara is open. The claim should suggest to all parties concerned the chances contained in due recognition of TRNC statehood.
Christian Heinze, 30.04.2015
Editors Notes.
Dr Christian Heinze was t
he Assistant to the late President of the Constitutional Court of the “Republic of Cyprus” in Nicosia in 1962/63.
In a recent article “Cyprus Conflict In A Nutshell” Dr Christian Heinze said there are four solutions to resolve the Cyprus issue which you may read by clicking here,.
To read more of Christians Heinze’s articles and analysis of the Cyprus issue, please visit his website click here
