- Akıncı: “All sides seem to be ready in June” ….
- Özersay: “We put forward a constructive and creative attitude, but no one expects us to sit and wait to follow the Greek Cypriot side” ….
- Özersay issued a message for the 7th anniversary of the death of founding President Rauf Raif Denktaş ….
- Founding President Denktaş commemorated ….
Akıncı: “All sides seem to be ready in June”
President Mustafa Akıncı said that a development to find a solution to the Cyprus problem can be experienced in June, following the EP Elections in May.
Akıncı received the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative to Cyprus Elizabeth Spehar, ahead of her visit to New York where she will be briefing the UN Security Council. Akıncı wished Spehar to convey to the UN Secretary General that the Turkish Cypriot side spends efforts to reach a solution based on equality and the Greek Cypriot side’s continuing stance not to accept the political equality of the Turkish Cypriots is not acceptable, and also a disruption to the solution process. Akıncı added that Jane Holl Lute, who was appointed by the UN Secretary General as a temporary envoy to work on resumption of the negotiations, is holding meetings with both sides to create the terms of reference, but the Greek Cypriot side not accepting ‘equality’ is not acceptable.
Pointing out that they discussed the issue of mandate of UNFICYP at the meeting, Akıncı said that he does not have an expectation for UNFICYP to leave the island but he believes that UNFICYP’s mandate should be reviewed. Stressing that UNFICYP was deployed on the Island of Cyprus in 1964 for only three months and its mandate is extended every six months by asking only the Greek Cypriot side’s view, Akıncı said that the presence of UNFICYP in its current state does not contribute to achieving a solution in Cyprus. Expressing that almost half of the expenditure of UNFICYP, 54 million dollars, is supplied by the Greek Cypriot Administration and Greece, Akıncı said that this situation creates some weaknesses. Adding that the guarantor countries made an observation that a development will not be forthcoming until the end of May due to the European Parliament elections, Akıncı said that the date when all sides will be ready seems to be June. Stressing that approval of the terms of reference by five parties is important, Akıncı said that due to this reason, Lute is holding meetings not only with both parties but the guarantor countries as well. Akıncı expressed that the content is more important than the date. If the content is not appropriate, the negotiations may continue for years.
Furthermore, adding that the Turkish Cypriots desire an early solution but they do not desire an open ended and strategic agreement, Akıncı said “As long as the current mentality of the Greek Cypriot side for not sharing authority and prosperity does not change, we will have a very troubled process. We are in a process in which the sincerity of the Greek Cypriot side is tested”.
Özersay: “We put forward a constructive and creative attitude, but no one expects us to sit and wait to follow the Greek Cypriot side”
Within the framework of his contacts in Washington, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Kudret Özersay made a presentation at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) which is one of the most prestigious think tank organizations guiding the US foreign policy.
In his speech at the Centre for International and Strategic Research, Özersay gave information and replied to the questions of the participants who were experts, including representatives of the companies licensed by the Greek Cypriot side, concerning the position of the Turkish Cypriot side on the energy equation in the Eastern Mediterranean, and the proposal of the Turkish Cypriot side.
Özersay answered the questions of the BRT correspondent following the presentation and said: “We put forward a constructive and creative attitude, but no one expects us to sit and wait for us to follow the Greek Cypriot side”
Özersay also spoke to Reuters and Bloomberg the previous day in Washington and he will also meet with some press representatives today (14th January).
Özersay issued a message for the 7th anniversary of the death of founding President Rauf Raif Denktaş
In his message, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Kudret Özersay said: “I commemorate the Founding President Rauf Raif Denktaş on the 7th anniversary of his death, from whom I learned a lot in the context of diplomacy and the Cyprus problem and who believed in the necessity of the state in the most difficult times of the Turkish Cypriot people and made the most important contribution to its establishment.”
Founding President Denktaş commemorated
Founding President Rauf Raif Denktaş was commemorated on the 7th anniversary of his death with a ceremony held at the Turkish Resistance Organization (TMT) Monument.
In his speech at the ceremony, President Mustafa Akıncı stated that the Cyprus problem continues to affect the lives of all of us as a problem that has been transferred from one generation to the next.
Emphasizing that the late Founding President Denktaş opposed the efforts of making his community a minority in his struggle for many years, Akıncı said that as long as the mind-set problem continues in Cyprus, they will continue to fight against it.
With these feelings, Akıncı once again commemorated the 7th anniversary of the death of the late Founding President Rauf Denktaş, who gave great services to the Turkish Cypriot people.
