Akıncı: “Either the Greek Cypriot side will accept our equality, or two separate entities will continue to take root on this island”
President Mustafa Akıncı has said that the time has not led to unification, but towards the cultivation of two separate states, and that the Greek Cypriot side should make a serious assessment of their position.
Speaking at an event, President Mustafa Akıncı stressed that the Turkish Cypriot people want to be part of the international community, and that this claim is a human right.
President Akıncı said: “Last time in Crans-Montana, the Greek Cypriot side thought that Turkey would not be able to take steps towards a solution. Turkey has proven that the Turkish Cypriots can demonstrate flexibility while not endangering their security, as part of a suitable approach to today’s conditions.
We are in 2017; we do not live in the conditions of the 1960s. For that reason, unfortunately, the Greek Cypriot side even prevented the arrival of the Greek Prime Minister on this occasion. The Turkish Prime Minister sent a message that he could come within 4 hours. The British Prime Minister was ready to come. This did not come to pass following phone calls with Tsipras. I believe that the Turkish Cypriot side worked in coordination with the political parties and delegations from Turkey, and took all appropriate steps. Unfortunately, no result was reached”
Expressing that the Turkish Cypriot side is in the evaluation stage, Akıncı underlined that as two peoples sharing the same geographical space in Cyprus, the sides ought to have peaceful relations.
President Akıncı said, “We are not going to give up the language of world, the language of peace. As the two main societies living in Cyprus, we must always be aware of the necessity of living in a peaceful relationship. “
Akıncı reiterated that Greek Cypriots would either accept the politically equal presence of the Turkish Cypriots in a federal understanding, or the two separate entities would continue to take root in these lands, stressing that there was no other way.
Akıncı concluded,
“There are two things we want to point out as the Turkish Cypriot people and organizations. One of them is that we will never accept the status of a minority to a unitary Greek Cypriot state. The second is that time has not flowed towards unification, but towards the cultivation of two separate states”.
Greek Cypriot motorcyclists hold border demonstrations
Greek Cypriot motorcyclists held border demonstrations at the Pirgo and Bostancı gates on Friday, the Metehan and Lokmacı gates on Saturday, and the Akyar and Derinya crossing points yesterday (Sunday).
The transition of Turkish Cypriot citizens to Southern Cyprus was temporarily suspended as a precautionary measure.
Source: TRNC Public Information Office –
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