President Mustafa Akinci has said that if the two leaders do not agree in the Cyprus negotiations, there will be no referendum. However, the final decision will be made by the people, if an agreement is reached.
Akinci also said that the Cyprus talks continue in good faith in close consultation with the Turkish government. He reiterated that Turkey is a guarantor country and attributes great significance and value to the Turkish Cypriots.
In a meeting with a delegation from Turkey’s Journalists Federation, who are currently in the TRNC, headed by Yilmaz Karaca, and a delegation from the Association of Journalists, headed by Resat Akar, Akinci stressed that in order for the Turkish Cypriot people to be able to approve any agreement, they will first look at security. Noting that every community wants to live in freedom, Akinci argued that for this to happen, the federation should be also based on the equality of the two communities. He added: “For this reason, we will look first for our freedom and whether our freedom is guaranteed”. Akinci further said that the Turkish Cypriot people sees political equality as the second most important issue and added: “We will not be the community and the people, who will live with minority rights in a Greek Cypriot island. We are talking about a bi-zonal federal structure based on two founding states and about a new Cyprus in a federate structure where we will live in security as free communities, based on political equally.”
Akinci briefed the hosted journalists on the history of the Cyprus talks, and the stage they have reached. Akinci said that an agreement can be found to form a bi-zonal, bi-communal federal structure, under the conditions created after 1974.
Referring to the Cyprus talks, Akinci said that they are carrying out the negotiations under six chapters. He added that progress was achieved on some chapters. He further said that he does not consider everything to be rosy, however, there was no cause for pessimism either. He explained that there are difficulties and positive elements. The two sides will be satisfied if they manage to overcome these difficulties within the accepted framework. He explained that their efforts and their ambition, after all these years, is that the Turkish Cypriot people should take their place within international law.
Referring to the natural resources in the Eastern Mediterranean, Akinci said that the natural resources instead of increasing tensions, will lead to cooperation and progress relations between Turkey, Israel-Egypt and the European Union. Akinci added that the transportation of natural gas through Cyprus to Turkey will be the most sensible and cost efficient thing to do.
Akinci also said that if an agreement is reached in Cyprus then the water that comes from Turkey to the TRNC can also be shared with Greek Cypriots and expressed the hope that positive developments will continue to take place during the Cyprus negotiations process.
Kibris Gazetesi
