TRNC News Today 22^nd January 2016

Ban met with Akıncı and Anastasiades in Davos

UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon came together with President Akıncı and the Greek Cypriot Leader Nikos Anastasiades in Davos.

Remarks of the Secretary-General at the press encounter following the meeting with Akıncı and Anastasiades in Davos on 21 January 2016 are as follows :

“Good afternoon – I just had a good meeting with the Greek Cypriot leader, H.E. Mr. Nikos Anastasiades, the Turkish Cypriot leader, H.E. Mr. Mustafa Akıncı and my Special Adviser, Mr. Espen Barth Eide.

This was my first meeting with both leaders together. It was a very good opportunity for me to hear directly from them about their efforts since they resumed negotiations in May 2015.

The leaders and I had a very comprehensive discussion on the current state-of-play in the Cyprus talks.

I want to commend them for their efforts and leadership. Significant progress has been made in this leader-led process over the past eight months, demonstrating that with political will, it is possible to reach an understanding on all issues.

At the same time, it is also clear that a number of sensitive and difficult issues still remain.

I encouraged the leaders to capitalize on the current positive momentum. It will be crucial as they move forward to tackle outstanding issues across the different chapters.

I encouraged Mr. Akıncı and Mr. Anastasiades to continue working tirelessly towards finding a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus issue as soon as possible, for the benefit of all Cypriots.

I also call on all interested parties to do their utmost to facilitate and support the leaders in their quest for overcoming the division of Cyprus.”

Ban also met with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu in Davos. Davutoglu and Ban exchanged views on the Cyprus negotiations process.

Akıncı: “We have a strong commitment towards a bi-zonal federation based on European values and political equality”

President Mustafa Akıncı stated that Turkish Cypriots have a strong commitment towards a bi-zonal federation based on European values and principles and political equality.

At the World Economic Forum which was held in Davos, Switzerland, President Mustafa Akıncı, the leader of the Greek Cypriot Administration Nikos Anastasiades, the UN Secretary General’s Special Adviser on Cyprus Espen Barth Eide and the World Economic Forum Founder and Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab made a speech at a panel entitled “Unification of Cyprus”

In his speech during the meeting Akıncı stated that the UN Plan which was approved by the Turkish Cypriot side with a strong ‘yes’ vote at the referendum 12 years ago, failed to reach a solution due to not being approved by the majority of the Greek Cypriots.

Stating that as a result Cyprus entered the EU as a divided island and the Turkish Cypriots were left out, Akıncı said that as two leaders from the same generation at this time, they are working tirelessly to reach a mutually acceptable solution and added that the Turkish Cypriots are aware of the fact that it is the last trial in terms of reunifying the island.

Akıncı said: “I believe dramatically that a settlement also will develop relations between all the relevant parties such as the EU, Turkey, Greece and including the future united Cyprus as well as the two communities. With the solution: the newly found hydrocarbon resources in the Eastern Mediterranean will act as a source of peace, stability and cooperation rather than conflict and tension; united Cyprus will be able to serve as a hub for pipe-lines transferring natural gas to the EU through Cyprus and Turkey, which seems to be the most feasible route and the water coming from Turkey will be shared with all the population on the island.”

Akıncı: “We had a fruitful meeting with Biden”

President Mustafa Akıncı met with US Vice President Joe Biden yesterday within the framework of his Davos contacts.

Akıncı stated that they exchanged views towards the solution of the Cyprus problem with US Vice President Joe Biden and their meeting was fruitful.

Akıncı: “Referendum is possible in Cyprus this year”

President Mustafa Akıncı said that it is possible to hold a referendum in Cyprus this year.

Answering the questions of the Anadolu Agency correspondent, Akıncı said “I desire a referendum this year and also “yes” votes from both sides in Cyprus. We are working for this. 2016 should be a year of solution”.

Stressing that the negotiations have been continuing in the island for about half a century, Akıncı said that they are at a solution stage due to the developments. There are some important chapters that must be solved. It is possible to establish a federal structure with goodwill and being away from dominant attitudes.

Adding that the sides are continuing under 6 main chapters to reach a solution in Cyprus, Akıncı said that these chapters are “Administration- Power Sharing, Economy, European Union, Property, Territory and Security-Guarantee” and they had made developments in the first four chapters.

Expressing that they have not discussed the chapters of “territory and security-guarantee”, Akıncı said that these chapters should be discussed at the end of the negotiations. “Turkish Cypriot people consider their security under the guarantee of Turkey. This is a reality known by everyone” Akıncı added.

Akıncı attended the opening lunch for the World Economic Forum

President Mustafa Akıncı, who is in Davos at the moment, attended the lunch hosted for the opening of the World Economic Forum with his wife Meral Akıncı as a guest of the Founder and the Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum Prof. Klaus Schwab.

During the lunch, Akıncı had talks with the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, UN Former Secretary General Kofi Annan, the President of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu, Former Vice President of the US Al Gore, the Prime Minister of Norway Erna Solberg, the Prime Minister of Sweden Stefan Löfven, Belgium’s Queen Mathilde, Jordan’s Queen Rania, Argentine’s Foreign Minister Susana Malcorra, UNESCO General Director Irina Bokova and the President of the World Bank Jim Yong Kim.

Neofitu: “This is the last solution effort with the current model”

The leader of DİSİ Averof Neofitu stated: “This is the last solution effort with the current model. If we fail, it will be the end of a bi-zonal bi-communal federation.”

In his statement to the SİGMA TV, Neofitu said: “This is the last effort to solve the Cyprus problem with this model. If it fails, I’m not saying there will not be any efforts but it will not be on the basis of a federation.”

Addressing the meetings of the leader of the Greek Cypriot Administration Nikos Anastasiades with the foreign diplomats and the meetings of the UN Secretary General’s Special Adviser on Cyprus Espen Barth Eide with the foreign parties abroad, Neofitu pointed out that they will be able to achieve a better plan.

Akıncı congratulated Prof. Dr. Vamık Volkan

President Mustafa Akıncı sent a congratulation message to the Turkish Cypriot scientist Prof. Dr. Vamık Volkan who was granted the world’s most prestigious “Mary Sigourney Psychoanalysis Award.”

In his message, Akıncı expressed: “Your receiving the 2015 Mary Sigourney Psychoanalysis Award honoured me as each Turkish Cypriot. Your analysis of the political processes in terms of psychoanalytic methods did not only mark a new era but also reminded that the Cyprus issue should be examined with another perspective.”

The Greek Cypriot side hasn’t applied to Brussels for Turkish language yet

The Greek Cypriot Administration spokesperson Nikos Hristodulidis confirmed that Anastasiades gave orders to the Greek Cypriot administration units regarding the proposal of inclusion of Turkish among the official languages of the EU, but he added that the Greek Cypriot side hasn’t made such an application to Brussels yet.

According to the news of the Greek Cypriot daily newspaper Fileleftheros, in his statement to RİK, Hristodulidis stated that Anastasiades gave orders to the Greek Cypriot administration units regarding the proposal of inclusion of Turkish among the official languages of the EU, but he added that although this issue was discussed in the past the EU did not respond to the necessary allowance.