Mustafa Akinci’s refusal to return Turkish occupied town Morphou to the Greek Cypriot administered area in an eventual agreed solution led to the collapse of the UN-led peace talks on Monday, according to CNA English sources.
“The Turkish Cypriot side would not agree on the number of refugees to return to their homes under Greek Cypriot administration, as proposed by the Greek Cypriot side,” said the unnamed source.
“The Greek Cypriot proposal would have meant the inclusion of Morphou in the Greek Cypriot constituent state, when drawing a map on the territorial adjustments.”
According to the sources, Akinci’s goal was to link the discussion on territory with the issue of security and guarantees
Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and Akinci reportedly came close to agreeing the overall percentage of territory for the Turkish Cypriot state. According to CNA English, Anastasiades suggested 27.2 per cent while Akinci proposed 28.2 per cent.
NO COMPROMISE
Akinci did not appear willing to compromise, nor did he seem to have secured the green light from Ankara to reach a satisfactory compromise on the number of refugees that would return under Greek Cypriot administration, reported CNA English.
Such a move would have meant Morphou’s return to the Greek Cypriot constituent state, which has around 7,500 refugees.
“Akinci appeared to advocate a discussion on territory at a multi-party conference, something which Anastasiades had said was not possible because it would have linked discussions on territory with security concerns,” commented the sources.
Such a conference would have to deal with security and guarantees of a future federal Cyprus and could take place once the two sides are within range of an agreement, having already addressed territorial concerns.
The Greek Cypriot side has repeatedly said that it wants to abolish the 1960 system of guarantees which stipulated that Greece, the UK and Turkey would guarantee the Republic`s independence and territorial integrity.
BACKGROUND
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and illegally occupied its northern third.
Anastasiades and Akinci have been engaged in UN-led talks since May 2015, with a view to reuniting the island under a federal roof.
If a final agreement is reached it will be put to both communities in a referendum. A 2004 peace deal, the ‘Annan Plan’, was approved by Turkish Cypriots but overwhelmingly rejected by Greek Cypriots.
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