Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci is remaining unyielding on the security and guarantees issue, which he discussed with President Nicos Anastasiades on Friday.
Specifically, Akinci has said the guarantees system will accommodate itself to 2016 as it is no longer 1960, when the system was created, according to reports from the occupied areas.
However, the Turkish Cypriot leader has remained unyielding in his stance Turkey, must be part of the system, saying: “We must not forget that the Turkish Cypriot people see their security coming only from Turkey’s guarantees, and not from international forces.”
He added that it was beneficial for him to highlight that it is no longer 1960, and that in 2016 the conditions are different.
“It is clear that a new structure will be created after a solution. The new structure of a bizonal, bicommunal, united federal Cyprus, which will have to equal states, will create a clearer picture of those conditions. Surely, the system of security and guarantees will adapt to this situation,” Akinci said.
Akinci added that the security and guarantees should not be seen as a threat by one side of the other in the new structure, as it is for both sides to feel secure.
Non-binding opinions
The Turkish Cypriot leader has said that they exchanged non-binding opinions on the issue during their meeting on Friday, adding that changing the system of 1960 wasn’t brought up in specific.
“Today as Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot leaders we brainstormed on a number of ideas that are non-binding on the issue of guarantees and security. We cannot forget that the Treaty of Guarantee is an international agreement. Its final shape will be decided from the results during a five-party conference,” he said.
Akinci closed referring to remarks made by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu during his visit to the occupied areas, where he said that the goal is to have a system where both sides feel secure, adding that both Turkey and Greece have already started discussing the issue unofficially. Cavusoglu had said that the time has come for the issue to be discussed.
However, Anastasiades had said on Friday, on his return from the meeting with Akinci, that the proposal he heard from the Turkish Cypriot side was not satisfactory.
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