Cyprus Negotiations

Akıncı says next 3 Weeks are crucial

President Mustafa Akıncı has said that the next three weeks were very important for the Cyprus Problem.

He said that depending on the progress reached at the end of the current intensified round of talks, the Turkish Cypriot side wanted to hold a joint meeting in New York and to pave the way for a five party conference.

Akıncı was speaking at the end of yesterday’s meeting, the first of a new round of intensified round of talks aimed at minimizing divergences.

Stating that yesterday’s meeting focused on determining how to proceed over the next 6 meetings, he said that the main goal of the six meetings was to minimise the existing disagreements between the two sides.

Pointing out that they had agreed not to make statements after every meeting, Akıncı said “there might be a joint statement following the final discussion on September 14th.”

The Turkish Cypriot leader expressed the confidence that the talks had entered a new period that would affect the course of the negotiations and depending on the progress it could result in joint a meeting with Ban “that will pave the way to bring us to a five-party conference” with the guarantor powers, Greece, Turkey and Britain.

“It depends on the results that we get here in the next six meetings,” he said….. 

Pointing out that the intensified round of talks will be a difficult process, the President said that it was extremely important that both sides will need to exercise understanding and cooperate with each other.

He said that the Turkish Cypriot side will act with this understanding and that they expect the Greek Cypriot side to do the same.

Responding to a question as to whether or not the issue of guarantees and security were discussed during the meeting, President Akıncı reminded that all chapters will be touched upon during the course of the 6 meetings but that this will be a general evaluation.

“Specifically we did not discuss any chapter” he added.

Asked about the upcoming visit to South Cyprus by the Egyptian Petroleum Minister to sign a bi-lateral agreement on natural gas, the President reminded that his spokesman had issued a statement on the issue.

Pointing out that such actions were harmful to the talks, he said, that he hoped that they will be able to create the conditions whereby both sides will reap the benefits of the island’s resources.

“This can only be possible through a solution. Our hope is that exploration work is not launched. They’ve been telling us that this will not be possible for some time” he said.

The two leaders will be meeting on the 29th and 31st of August as well as the 2nd, 6th, 7th and 14th of September.

Source: BRT World News