Akıncı: “If it is possible to provide the basis for multi-lateral meetings at the upcoming seven meetings, September can mark the beginning of a new period”
19 August, 2016FOLK-DER and Kontea Heritage Association perform at a festival in Poland
22 August, 2016In its editorial the Cyprus Mail, published in South Cyprus, evaluated the statements made by President Mustafa Akıncı and the President of the Republic of Turkey Tayyip Erdoğan during their press conference in Ankara.
Mainly the article states the following:
“Wednesday evening’s Erdogan-Akıncı meeting and the subsequent comments made by the two must have disappointed the Greek Cypriot parties and media because they did not offer much ammunition for the normal fighting talk. They were not even able to use the traditional adjectives, such as “provocative” and “unacceptable” to describe the Ankara comments, focusing instead on interpretations and repeating their well-known positions about a settlement.”
“It is understandable that Erdogan’s comments after the meeting took the Greek Cypriots by surprise, because they were positive, forward-looking and supportive of the settlement efforts. He said: “The aim of these efforts is that this year a new partnership would be established in which both sides would be able to live within the framework of UN parameters. It is a condition to find a Cyprus settlement that would ensure the rights and security of the Turkish Cypriots.” Could anyone find fault with these views? “
“Some could say that Erdogan stuck to generalities about the future, not wanting to reveal Turkey’s position in the talks. While nobody could rule out this possibility, if he really wanted to undermine the negotiations, which enter an intensive round of meetings next week, he could have made a couple of remarks, calculated to antagonise the Cyprus government and the parties, but he did not. He even avoided mentioning the supposed necessity for Turkish guarantees, thus allowing room for some compromise to be reached on the matter at the talks.
While the Turkish side’s plans and intentions will become clear at the negotiations that resume next week, the fact that Erdogan’s message was positive could only be described as a good sign for the procedure.”