Akıncı : “This is a historic opportunity for a solution in Cyprus and it shouldn’t be missed”
5 January, 2017Çavuşoğlu: “The Turkish Cypriot people want Turkey’s guarantee to continue”
6 January, 2017Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said he is “more optimistic than ever” that an agreement can be reached in Cyprus.
Çavusoglu told reporters after discussing the upcoming Cyprus negotiations with the new UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that there are still “serious issues” regarding territory, the map, security and guarantees.
Nonetheless, he said the framework and understanding are there to reach a “settlement in Cyprus.”
“Not only do Turkey, Greece, or the two sides in Cyprus need this, but the eastern Mediterranean, our region, and the whole world needs such a positive development,” Çavuşoğlu said.
Çavuşoğlu was speaking ahead of three days of talks in Geneva starting on 9 January between the Greek Cypriot Leader Nicos Anastasiades and President Mustafa Akinci that will aim to reach a comprehensive settlement.
On the final day of the summit, 12 January, the leaders will be joined by Cyprus’ three guarantors – Britain, Greece and Turkey – who will be seeking to agree on post-settlement security arrangements. Çavuşoğlu said the European Union will also be there as a “consultant.”
Çavuşoğlu stressed that “if you have the will, if you are ready for a settlement, you can overcome all these issues even though some of them are serious ones.”
“For me, the most difficult part is not for us but for two sides in Cyprus and Greece – the public opinion,” he said.
“I think the Greeks and Greek Cypriots have more problems there. They need to convince their public,” Cavusoglu said. “As Turkey, we don’t have that much problem, but everybody has to consider or take into account the concerns, or the opinions, of the Turkish Cypriots as well. They shouldn’t be ignored.”