Erdoğan warns that the Greek Cypriot side cannot control the whole of the island
30 November, 2016Akıncı: “The negotiations came to a dead end because of the Greek Cypriot side’s efforts to finalize the territory chapter before other issues were solved”
1 December, 2016President Mustafa Akıncı cut short his İstanbul trip due to the deadly road traffic accident that took place yesterday morning and returned to the island last night. Akıncı made the opening speech at the 7th Bosporus Summit, organized by the International Cooperation Platform, and cancelled the rest of his programme.
In his speech President Mustafa Akıncı said, “If the Greek Cypriot side agree on an honourable solution, we will take our place as one of the two equal constituent states. However, if they are now willing to do so, we will continue our path as the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.”
President Akıncı also stated that globalization is an important reality.
Noting that it is difficult to live in an insular way after the rapid development and sharing of capital, information and technology in recent years, Akıncı continued, “Any society and anyone can no longer exist by turning his back on the world. However, as the Turkish Cypriots we have been excluded from the global network of relations. We have been suffering from this for years. The other society that has seized our rights since 1963 has tried to condemn us to live in isolation from the world. Our opening to the world has been only through Turkey in every respect.”
Pointing out the importance of economic cooperation for stability, peace and prosperity, Akıncı said, “There is an important opportunity in the Eastern Mediterranean in this regard. We need to evaluate important opportunities together.”