Akıncı: “Support of Turkey is very important”

Stressing the importance of the contributionTurkey has made to the negotiation process and the development of the TRNC, President Mustafa Akıncı said: “The foundations of a permanent peace on the island will be as strong as our prosperity increases and we stand on our own feet.”

In the speech he made at the joint press conference organized at the Presidency with the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoğlu, President Akıncı said  that the support given by Ankara to a bi-zonal, bi-communal settlement based on political equality is extremely important and added that they have been observing that this support is continuing increasingly.

Akıncı said: “I would like to thank Mr. Cavusoğlu. He has been supporting the negotiations in Cyprus for a long time.”

Pointing out that the visit of Mr Çavuşoğlu took place at an important stage, Akıncı said that he met with the Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Anastasiades for the sixth time during a series of intensive sessions held in the month of November and he also mentioned that they had reached a further point on the Cyprus issue by the end of November.

President Akıncı said: “In the period ahead we would like to conclude the negotiation process in Cyprus with a settlement after the referenda which will be accepted and confirmed by both sides. This is our greatest desire and ambition.”

Noting his belief that the relations between Turkey and Greece will move to a better point with such a settlement, Akıncı stated that he gives importance to Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’s visit to Ankara and his meeting with Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu.

Akıncı continued and said: “because we are waiting for Greece to also support the process as soon as possible and as much as Turkey.”