Akinci wants to see a tripartite and five-party meeting by year’s end

Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci wants to see a tripartite meeting with the UN Secretary-General and a five-party conference with the guarantor powers by the end of the year, he was quoted as saying on Sunday.

In an interview with Kathimerini, excerpts of which were published online, Akinci spoke of the obstacles to reaching an agreement to the terms of reference that would see the talks resume.

He said the UN chief Antonio Guterres wanted the terms agreed prior to his next report to the UN Security Council in November.

The leaders had almost reached a deal on the terms last month after week-long meetings with Guterres’ envoy Jane Holl Lute but failed to enter the final stretch after the Turkish side wanted the issue of political equality for the Turkish Cypriot included in the terms prior to any negotiations.

Akinci said the issue of the rotating presidency has been in the spotlight since the Talat-Christofias era in 2008.

He said Anastasiades had even discussed with him the percentages for cross-voting because the solution would include a rotating presidency.

Akinci also said that during talks in Mont Pelier the leaders had agreed to a 7-4 vote for the cabinet, and a positive vote for the Turkish Cypriots. “The acceptance of this condition was announced by Mr Anastasiades himself,” said Akinci.

The Turkish Cypriot leader, according to Kathimerini said that on August 9, 2019, when he met President Nicos Anastasiades did not accept the June 30, 2017 document from Guterres laying down the framework for talks

“We must give up creating impressions and playing games and explain to our communities the realities,” Akinci said.

“However, in order to move forward, we must accept clearly the convergences that have been achieved to date.”

Also, he said, open-ended procedures “now belong to the past”.

“We have an urgent procedure ahead of us that should be focused on the outcome,” he added.

Referring to the crisis in the EEZ due to Turkish activities, Akinci said Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots would not remain shackled in the face of work carried out by foreign companies but it would be good, he said, if progress could be made on this issue before a solution.

The Turkish side has proposed joint management of hydrocarbons pre-solution but this has been rejected by the Greek Cypriot side.

Meanwhile, according to Government Spokesman Prodromos Prodromou on Sunday, Anastasiades is “absolutely ready” for reunification negotiations and he is waiting for the UN Secretary-General`s invitation.

He said the president and the Greek Cypriot side were “are absolutely ready today, awaiting an invitation of Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, so that the terms of reference can be completed on the basis of the understanding reached on August 9 with Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci.”

“We hope that the other side will respond positively, despite Ankara`s apparent unwillingness,” he added.

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