Akıncı: “Greek Cypriot proposals do not bring anything new to the table”
President Mustafa Akıncı has stated that the proposals presented by the Greek Cypriot side are not new and will not themselves lead to a solution.
Akıncı evaluated the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres’ return to Switzerland as a positive development but he said that the visit should not be treated as a charm offensive.
President Akıncı compared the Greek Cypriot side, which leaked information to the press before offering their proposal yesterday, to the Turkish Cypriot side, which did not leak any documents.
He was answering journalists’ questions following the eighth day meeting of the Conference on Cyprus.
Pointing to the importance of today’s meeting, Akıncı explained that the UN Secretary-General will come to Crans-Montana for the second time. Akıncı said, “We are pleased with his visit, as you know. There was a framework that he revealed at his first arrival. It is understood that there will be intensive work to bring about the continuation of the framework tomorrow. There will be bilateral, five-party and separate meetings”.
“Tomorrow must be a decisive day for Cyprus. We are hoping that Thursday will be an intense and productive day for all people in Cyprus,” Akıncı said.
President Akıncı reiterated that the proposal from the Greek Cypriot side would not bring about a solution, as there was nothing new in it.
Meanwhile, President Mustafa Akıncı met with the Minister of State for Europe and America for the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Alan Duncan. Negotiator Özdil Nami and the negotiating delegation accompanied President Akıncı at the meeting. Jonathan Allen, the Director of National Security at the Foreign Office was also present at the meeting.
Denktaş and Ertuğruloğlu met with Çavuşoğlu
Deputy Prime Minister Serdar Denktaş and Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu, who are in Crans-Montana for the Conference on Cyprus, met with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu to evaluate the latest developments within the scope of the Conference on Cyprus.
Turkish Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu stated that the Republic of Turkey is continuing negotiations steadfastly at the table in order to secure a solution and protect the rights of the Turkish Cypriots in the island.
Çavuşoğlu: “No progress has been made due to all sides waiting for each other’s positions”
Stating that there has not been “much” progress so far in the ongoing Conference on Cyprus in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said that no progress has been made due to all sides waiting for each other’s position.
Çavuşoğlu made a statement to Turkish and Greek Cypriot journalists following the conference which was held at the Le Regent Congress Centre.
Although many meetings were held on the 8th day of the conference, Çavuşoğlu said that while the UN Secretary General is due to return to Switzerland today again [Thursday], unfortunately there has not been “much” progress.
Çavuşoğlu added: “The overall “picture” of the conference will become clearer with the participation of United Nations (UN) Secretary General Antonio Guterres in the conference today. There is no need to waste time”.
“We haven’t seen the proposals from the other side yet. Regrettably, the press saw them before us. It is not a fair stance, or conducive to the negotiations, to share proposals with the press before sharing them with us. We see that the Greek Cypriot side is playing to the crowd. If they were real and serious proposals then first they would have been shared with the participants at the table. Sharing the proposals with the press and then saying we brought forward proposals means playing to the crowd” Çavuşoğlu said.
Guterres participates in Conference on Cyprus today
In a statement to the press, the Spokesperson of the Office for the UN Secretary-General, Stephane Dujarric said that the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is travelling to Switzerland today [Thursday] to attend the Conference on Cyprus. The Spokesperson said that Guterres will participate in today’s meetings in Switzerland, after the parties requested his return to the conference.
Guterres had participated in the meetings in Crans-Montana last week and asked all sides to seize this opportunity to find a solution. Earlier this week, political leaders from the TRNC called on the UN Secretary-General to return to Crans-Montana and intervene on the Conference on Cyprus.
High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini also returned to Crans-Montana.
Prime Minister Özgürgün receives Taekwondo athletes
Prime Minister Hüseyin Özgürgün received Linda Parker, the Chairman of the Global Taekwondo Federation (GTF), along with the athletes who will compete in the Taekwondo and Judo Europe and Intercontinental Championship. In his speech, the Chairman of Taekwondo Federation Eyüp Zafer Gökbilen said that, this year, the Taekwondo Championship will take place in Kyrenia, with the support of Prime Minister Özgürgün. A total of 190 athletes from 16 countries will attend the championship. The two-day competition will be held at the Eurasia Taekwondo Center and will start at 10:00am.
Parker underscored the importance of such events for the TRNC and said that the organization is therefore committed to supporting similar initiatives in the future.
Özgürgün stressed that such global events were key in overcoming the sporting embargoes imposed on the TRNC, and expressed his heartfelt congratulations to the team of organizers.
Source: TRNC Public Information Office –
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