President Akinci has said that he believes that an acceptable joint formula protecting the rights of the Turkish Cypriots without compromising the rights of the Greek Cypriots, can be found.
Speaking to the press after the last meeting of the second round of intensified talks with President Anastasiades, Akinci said that in Wednesday’s meeting they had completed an important period in the negotiations and a new period will begin in New York. He added that he will meet with UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon in a separately and also in a three-party meeting on 25th September instead of 26th September because a change of Ban’s programme. He further said that he will also attend some other bilateral meetings.
Akinci explained that while he is in New York, there is a great possibility that he will meet with U.S. Vice President, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and a number of other foreign ministers. He added that his programme of meetings will be finalised in the coming days.
Noting that after both community leaders return from New York, their meetings will continue in October, Akinci said that they want to resume the talks without wasting any time. He further said that they want to come to an agreement in most or even in all four chapters on the points where there still are none, or try to minimise, as much as possible, the points on which there is most divergence. He added that when they resolve these, it will open the door for a five-party meeting, in order to solve the issues of the territorial adjustments and the issue of security and guarantees within 2016.
Replying to questions, Akinci said that the UNSG’s Special Representative on Cyprus, Espen Barth Eide, had read out, on behalf of the two leaders, a statement summarising the talks. Akinci stressed that important progress was achieved in the 16-month intense work, especially in the first four chapters – governance and power sharing, EU issues, property and economy, adding that the existence of significant disagreements have been voiced.
Stressing that it is important that all sides to preserve their goal to reach a Cyprus settlement in 2016, Akinci said: “The aim is solution within 2016, once more it has been confirmed as the target. With this aim, our request to the UN Secretary-General is to further intensify his interest and efforts and will be conveyed during our meeting with him in New York”.
Asked to explain what his expectations are in the meeting with UN Secretary-General, Akinci said that Ban is satisfied with the progress made in the talks so far and sees positive developments. Akinci added that Ban knows very well what they have accomplished and they will evaluate the negotiations with him, once again. He also said that they will ask Ban to intensify his role in the process.
Havadis
