Akansoy emphasised his party’s commitment to a federal solution to the Cyprus issue, within UN parameters and expressed his determination to continue the peace struggle without setbacks.
Regarding Tatar’s meeting with the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Cyprus, Maria Angela Holguin, Akansoy criticised Tatar’s rejection of a tripartite meeting proposal, highlighting Tatar’s failure to recognise the preconditions conveyed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the lack of connection between his proposals and UN Security Council resolutions.
Akansoy questioned the effectiveness of Tatar’s opportunistic approach and criticised his reluctance to engage in dialogue.
Akansoy emphasised Turkish Cypriots’ desire for a solution and pointed to Tatar’s actions, which he described as undermining their future. He also criticised the EU’s use of Turkey’s Customs Union expansion and visa liberalisation as leverage, stressing the need to understand Turkey-EU relations beyond the Cyprus issue.
He highlighted the importance of recent EU Council decisions on Cyprus but warned against reducing Turkey-EU relations solely to this issue. He stressed the need for dialogue and trust-building efforts to address uncertainties on the island.
Akansoy also pointed out that expecting a resolution or productive negotiations from figures like Christodoulides and Tatar would be overly optimistic. However, he felt partly encouraged by the dynamic nature of global events, highlighting how things can shift and evolve rapidly.
He stressed the crucial roles of both Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot drive in the quest for a solution, highlighting the importance of jointly maintaining the agenda for a federation, fostering mutual trust, and engaging in open dialogue and collaboration. He underlined their path as one of reclaiming sovereignty and dignity, rejecting notions of minority status or subordination.
Akansoy firmly asserted his party’s commitment to a federation within the UN framework, emphasising the necessity to overcome entrenched perceptions and practices. He concluded by affirming their unwavering dedication to the peace process, grounded in determination, clarity of purpose, seriousness, knowledge, and courage.
