Akıncı: “My vision is the vision of my people so it must be respected”
28 April, 2015UN on developments in Turkish Cypriot side
28 April, 2015US State Department Spokesman Jeff Rathke has reiterated his government`s longstanding commitment to the peace process in Cyprus under UN auspices and its willingness “to assist in any way that the parties would find useful.”
Rathke was asked for his reaction to new Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci`s electoral victory on Sunday in North Cyprus. “We congratulate Mustafa Akinci on his election as the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community”, he said.
He added that “we continue to support the negotiation process conducted under the auspices of the United Nations and Special Negotiator Eide, and to reunify the island as a bi-zonal and bi-communal federation.”
Rathke further reiterated “our willingness to assist in any way that the parties would find useful.”
Replying to a question as to whether US Secretary of State John Kerry has spoken to Akinci he said he has “no calls to read out from that.”
“Our commitment to the peace process is longstanding, and the Secretary of course had a couple of opportunities to talk about that when he met with the foreign ministers of Greece and of Turkey”, he noted replying to another question.
“We look forward to working with Mustafa Akinci in his capacity as the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community”, he concluded.