Kibkom North Cyprus Forum

On Monday evening, Anastasiades attended a dinner in his honour hosted by the National Federation of Cypriots in the United Kingdom.

At the dinner, Anastasiades said he was determined to carry on working for a solution to the decades-long problem that would end the division of the island, with a negotiated settlement which would be “viable and workable and will the concerns of both (Greek and Turkish Cypriot) communities.”

“I am determined to work for a settlement of the Cyprus issue. But a settlement that meets – and I stress this – the expectations and the concerns of the Greek Cypriots. I will not disregard the concerns of the Turkish Cypriots, but I will not overestimate false concerns of the Turkish Cypriots at the expense of Greek Cypriots”, Anastasiades said.

WHAT WE HAVE BEEN SAYING ALONG!

Wonder what the "false concerns" Anastadias is referring to?

History shows both to the turkish cypriots and the world that the turkish cypriot minority has every right to hold concerns. The concerns are not false they are real and it happened in the past and to say it will not happen again is somewhat strange. Plus if Anastadias believes the EU will somehow stop any potential violence or fighting in the future then he really is deluded.

Is this the end of the road?

When asked to what extent the three-way meeting met the expectations of the Turkish Cypriot side, Akinci responded that they had not come to New York expecting miracles, as he previously stated at Ercan airport. “We came here to assess the situation and to determine how best to move forward because it is obvious that we have a tight timetable and the deadline for this timetable is the end of this year’’ Akinci said.

“The UN Secretary-General is leaving his post at the end of this year and we expect him to take a more active role in the process.”

Finding a settlement before the end of 2016 is both sides’ aim, and the Secretary General will help in this regard, Akinci said.

According to the President, there are risks in carrying the negotiations into 2017, and Akinci thus emphasised that it would benefit all parties if a settlement could be reached before the end of this year.

Wonder what the risks are and for who?

Eroglu argued that the Turkish Cypriot side should definitely succeed in the creation of a timetable and both the UN and the international community should help the Turkish side on this.

Asked whether they should be working towards the recognition of the TRNC if the Greek Cypriots do not accept an agreement, Eroglu asserted: “Recognition is a matter of time. However, what should be done is that everyone, both the right-wing and the left-wing supporters defend the state and demand the lifting of the embargoes implemented on us by the world by the demand and pressure of the Greek Cypriots.”

Replying to a question on the guarantees, Eroglu said that during his presidency, Turkey had not taken one step backwards on the issue of its “effective and active guarantees” for the entire island and added that the unilateral military intervention right is of vital importance for the Turkish Cypriots. He also noted that they should not give concessions on the issue of the rotating presidency.

Referring to the property issue, he said that accepting the “emotional bond” element was a mistake, because a person who had lived for in a property for ten years is given priority over a person who has been living in it for 42 years since 1974. He added that the title deeds granted by the TRNC are under the state’s guarantees and no reversals could be made on this issue.

Regarding the issue of hydrocarbons, Eroglu further stated that President Anastasiades should be reminded of the fact that the Turkish Cypriots will take parallel steps to the ones to be taken by the Republic of Cyprus and should “definitely respond to the tricks of the Greek Cypriots”.

Eroglu asserted: “Recognition is a matter of time...."
Oh yeah? Wasn't the TRNC declared in 1983? That's 33 years ago, and isn't it 42 years the events of 1974? SO how much time is it a matter of then, Mr former Presdent?
No wonder Akinci beat Eroglu so convincingly last year!

Moonagedaydream do you think Akinci will pull it off and a 'Cyprus Solution' will happen?

DenizIsmail wrote:Moonagedaydream do you think Akinci will pull it off and a 'Cyprus Solution' will happen?

No, not with Greeks being involved.

Ozgurgun pointed out that the Turkish Cypriot side was not desperate for a solution where it would be forced to give in to all of the Greek Cypriot side’s demands.

He said that Greek Cypriots needed a settlement just as much as the Turkish Cypriots did.

“The Greek Cypriot side’s rights on the island are not more than those of Turkish Cypriots. This is the basis and understanding on which the negotiations must be carried on” he added.

Stating that he did not perceive a settlement to be possible before the end of this year, the TRNC Prime Minister said “they want Guzelyurt, and Maras and cantons in the Karpaz peninsula. They want the return of all 160,000 Greek Cypriot refugees to their former homes; they want the withdrawal of the Turkish Armed Forces. In other words they have not given up any of their unacceptable demands”.

“If we record progress, then we will move on to the issue of territory with the possibility that this meeting takes place at a third country…All I have just said are under the condition that satisfactory progress is recorded first,” said Anastasiades.