President Akıncı: “There are some aspects in the speech of Anastasiades that should be corrected”

President Mustafa Akıncı issued a statement regarding the speech of the Greek Cypriot Leader Nikos Anastasiades made at the UN General Assembly yesterday (26th September 2019).

“My aim is not to reply to the speech of Anastasiades line by line. We have arrived in New York not to blame each other but to discuss the steps to be taken with the UN to open ways for a solution again in Cyprus. There are some factors that should be corrected in the speech of Anastasiades made at the UN General Assembly” Akıncı stated.

“First of all, the Turkish Cypriots also have rights in the platform used by Anastasiades at the UN General Assembly. Unfortunately, the Greek Cypriot leaders have obtained this privilege since 1963 after the Turkish Cypriots were excluded from the 1960 partnership state. Mr. Anastasiades expressed that both he and the previous Greek Cypriot leaders had spent efforts for a solution for 45 years but a solution could not be reached. Everyone should know that the Greek Cypriot side has never been willing to accept the demands of the Turkish Cypriot people for a solution. The two most important examples are the Annan Plan referendum in 2004 and the Crans Montana conference in 2017” Akıncı stressed.

Furthermore, emphasising that the three factors mentioned by Anastasiades have been always underlined by the Turkish Cypriot side, Akıncı said that these factors are 11 February 2014 Joint Statement, the agreements reached up to now and 30 June 2017 Guterres Framework. Akıncı also reminded that Anastasiades did not accept in the last two years that the Guterres framework was dated 30 June 2017 and claimed some non-existent documents as 4 July document. During that time, he also prevented the UN Secretary General’s Envoy on Cyprus Jane Hall Lute’s efforts to be fruitful.

Pointing out that in his speech, Anastasiades mentioned the 30 June document but did not mention the issue of 2 to 1 term presidency, which is an important article and indicator of the political equality, Akıncı said that Anastasiades’ not mentioning the term presidency showed that he still has difficulty accepting the content of the framework.