President Mustafa Akinci held a briefing on the Cyprus negotiations with House Speaker Sibel Siber and Prime Minister Omer Kalyoncu. Also attending were agricultural minister Erkut Sahali, Akinci’s spokesman Baris Burcu and chief negotiator Ozdil Nami, at the one and a half hour meeting.
Speaking after the briefing, Siber said that President Akinci informed them about the latest developments in the negotiations, adding that the process is being conducted with good will. Noting that the pre-election campaign had begun in the South, Siber said that the aim and the target are for a solution to be reached. Siber noted that since their last assessment, there has been no concrete progress in the negotiations, but now we are in “a substantial and difficult process”. She said that the Turkish Cypriots continue to believe in the possibility of a solution.
In addition, PM Kalyoncu said that they had exchanged views about the negotiations, noting that they received the minutes of the negotiations, but these face to face meetings are also important.
Finally, agricultural minister Sahali said that they had discussed both the negotiations and the preparations for the solution, but at the same time how the government should proceed within the framework of the solution. He also expressed the belief that the negotiations will continue without being influenced by the elections in the South.
President Akinci also briefed political party leaders and MPs at the Presidency on Wednesday on the talks.
Kibris Gazetesi
