Akıncı: “Referendum can be held as early as the summer months”

President Mustafa Akıncı stated that the referendum can be held in the summer of 2017 if the process does not suffer from any major stumbling blocks and the 8-10 chapters which will determine the framework of the Cyprus negotiations can be finalized.

President Mustafa Akıncı gave detailed information about the latest developments regarding the Cyprus issue and responded to questions from the media ahead of the Geneva Summit during a “Media-President Meeting” organised by the Turkish Cypriot Journalists Association (KTGB) yesterday.

In his statement, President Mustafa Akıncı said that while there are more than 100 issues in the Cyprus negotiations, these 8-10 chapters are the most important, and most of the complexities and divergences are sourced from these chapters.

Akıncı also said that the necessary and compulsory issues will be discussed at the Geneva Summit in Switzerland, and in the event of conclusive agreement on the issues of territory, administration and property, maps will be put forward and then the guarantee and security issues will be focused on.

Addressing the differences between the statements given by South Cyprus and the TRNC, President Akıncı reiterated once again that the agreement reached on December 1 is very clear, the two sides will be at the table on 9-10 and 11 January and then the three guarantor powers will also join the meeting.

President Mustafa Akıncı stated that there had been no decision regarding the participation of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council at the meeting and that there was also no need for their involvement.

Akıncı emphasised that the “United Federal Cyprus” which will be established will sign the new agreement in Cyprus not the “Republic of Cyprus”.

Mentioning the agreement text, President Akıncı said, “The agreement text is clear. There will be no one around the table except the two sides and the three guarantor powers.”

President Akıncı also stated that they shared everything about the Mont Pelerin Summit and they did not hide anything from the public.

Indicating that meetings of the leaders and the negotiators are ongoing ahead of the Geneva meeting, Akıncı added that the leaders will have a meeting on 4 January and another meeting can also be scheduled on 7 January if needed.