The council for the ‘Alliance for Independence’ has expressed support for the coalition government’s reactions to the Cyprus negotiations.
Members of the council who visited Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertugruloglu (main photo), demanded that President Mustafa Akinci conducts the Cyprus negotiations process “in harmony with the government and by respecting the political will of the Turkish Cypriot people”.
The president of the Council for the ‘Alliance for Independence’ and the chairman of the Human Rights society Hasan Yilmazisik criticised Akinci and the negotiating team of remaining silent “despite the constant disinformation being spread by the Greek Cypriot side”, as he asserted.
He said that the government’s reaction to this and its request to have a representative on the negotiating team was timely and justified.
Ertugruloglu replied that it was not his intention to stoke a fight between the different offices of the state or to demoralise the public.
“However the fact that there are differences in opinion and vision between the president and the government is an undeniable reality,” he said.
Ertugruloglu also highlighted the importance of Turkey’s guarantees for the Turkish Cypriots, saying that Turkey should have the unilateral right to intervene in Cyprus if the Turkish Cypriots’ security was threatened.
“We are aware that Akinci is issuing statements on the issue of guarantees but what we want is to know in detail, what these guarantees will include or encompass. Will Turkey have the unilateral right to intervene? This is what is really important to us,” he said.
He also stated that Turkey’s unilateral right to intervene must be maintained in whatever new model of guarantees is agreed upon.
“I’m not accusing Akinci of not sharing our sensitivities as there is no information to back up such a claim. However the fact that he has not voiced this sensitivity does raise question marks,” he added.
BRT
