Greek Cypriots need 'mentality transition', Akinci says

By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal

LONDON

A serious mentality transition is needed on the Greek Cypriot side for a solution in the island, Mustafa Akinci, President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus said Thursday.

“They [Greek Cypriots] have got hardships in authority sharing with us,” in negotiations, Akinci said.

Akinci’s remarks came during a conference in north London on the talks for a sustainable solution in the eastern Mediterranean island.

Speaking to the representatives of the Turkish Cypriot community living in the U.K. at a venue in Wood Green, Akinci gave a summary of how the negotiations were shaped since he was elected president in 2015.

“To solve the Cyprus question today is harder than it was in 2004,” Akinci said.

He underlined that 65 percent of Turkish Cypriots accepted the Annan Plan in 2004 but 75 percent of Greek Cypriots rejected it. “It is now seriously debatable whether we [Turkish Cypriots] have 65 percent ‘yes’ vote today.”

Akinci said if a solution is reached, it would take a lot of effort to get it accepted by the people on both sides of the island.

He said there must be a “mentality transition” on the Greek Cypriot side. He said the Greek Cypriot leaders “should be able to tell their people that a Turkish Cypriot would be the president of a federal republic in Cyprus, if there is a solution.”

“We haven’t heard them saying that yet,” Akinci said.

He said a solution in Cyprus will not be coming overnight but “it will be gradual and take time.”

The talks from now on for a solution on the island should be result-oriented, time-limited and in packages, Akinci told the auidience.

He said the UN parameters should not be forgotten. “Bizonality and political equality, with the efforts of our leaders in years, and finally, revolving presidency, which entered Guterres’s speech with our efforts. We can not push all that with the back of our hand.”

Akinci said the problem did not lie in parameters but it is with the “Greek Cypriot mentality, which can not adapt to, does not believe in and do as necessary with those principles.”

“Who ever wants a solution in Cyprus, they will accept that there is an equal entity in Cyprus, even if it is not recognized,” Akinci added.

Akinci said Turkey would be the shortest and cheapest route to ship natural gas reserves in Eastern Mediterranean.

“Everybody will win from solution and peace but everybody will lose with tension,” he said.

President Akinci went on to say that there are three things that the TRNC would not give up in a solution.

“First is our freedom. We will not go under anybody’s domination. Second is our political equality. Third is our security.”