Progress has been made in four chapters in the negotiations, President Akinci has said. Addressing the 53rd meeting of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce on Saturday, he said that the other two chapters will be discussed after June. Akinci expressed the hope that it would be possible to reach an agreement on guaranties, at the end of the negotiations.
Referring to confidence building measures (CBM), he said that both communities would benefit if the temporary connection for electricity across the divide were to be made permanent. The Greek Cypriot authorities want to make inspections using foreign experts and the Turkish Cypriots have agreed to this, Akinci said.
Regarding telephone connections, the Greek Cypriots have cited legal problems. However, President Akinci said he would be willing to meet and ask for changes in the law.
The Turkish Cypriot side is preparing to make adjustments to come in line with the European Acquis, he said, noting that they would have been in a better position, had this work started in 2004.
The president said that both he and President Anastasiades belong to the same generation and warned that that these negotiations represent the last effort by their generation and the last opportunity for a federal solution.
Akinci said that it is now more difficult for find a solution than it was ten years ago. In the future, it will be even more difficult, perhaps impossible, to agree on a solution.
Cyprus Mail
