Kurtulmuş: “Turkey will not step back on security and guarantee issues before the Turkish Cypriot community’s status on the island is guaranteed”
4 July, 2017Akıncı meets Çavuşoğlu at a working lunch
4 July, 2017Stating that the rotating presidency cannot be matter up for bargaining in the ongoing negotiations, Speaker of the Assembly Sibel Siber stressed that it is not possible to step back on “active participation in resolutions”.
Siber made the evaluation on the BRT live broadcast regarding the ongoing Cyprus negotiations in Crans Montana.
Siber reiterated that the Turkish Cypriot people have maintained their will to find a solution from the past to the present, and that her wish is to reach a viable solution.
Emphasizing that the negotiations to find a solution on the basis of a federation have been ongoing for a half century, Siber said that if the conference does not end with a positive result, parties understand that it will not be possible to find a solution. Siber stressed however that motivation is high to find a solution.
Siber pointed out that both President Akıncı and Turkish Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu have said that the conference will be the last chance.
Adding that it is important to reach a viable solution based on bi-zonality and political equality, Siber underlined that any solution must be incorporated into EU primary law.
Noting that EU citizens benefit from free movement, free settlement and property acquisition in EU countries, Siber stated that if derogation does not take place, a bi-zonal and bi-communal solution will be out of question.
Regarding the UN Secretary-General’s statement that the parties should agree on a rotating presidency in a federal solution, but the issues of extended veto rights at the federal level and decision-making should not be overshadowed, Siber stated the rotating presidency cannot be matter of bargaining and stressed that it will not be possible to step back on active participation in resolutions.