Turkish Cyprus prime minister worried president Akinci giving way in Cyprus negotiations

Cyprus: Turkish Cyprus Prime Minister Huseyin Ozgurgun has voiced his concern about the ongoing reunification talks between Turkish Cyprus and Greek Cyprus sides claiming that the talks are progressing on the basis of the demands and wishes of the Greek Cypriot side.


Speaking to a private TV channel, Ada,  Ozgurgun who stated that the Greek Cypriot side needs the agreement as much as the Turkish side said:

“We have always lowered our heads, we have always insisted on an agreement. ‘We are obliged, if there is no agreement, we are finished, we are burnt’. There is no such thing, if there is no agreement, why have we burnt? The agreement should be an agreement that will show that the Greek Cypriots need it as much as we do. It’s as if we are begging for an agreement and the Greek Cypriots are doing us a favour. I see a destitute atmosphere in the talks. One where we are begging for a solution and this upsets me deeply. We under no circumstance accept this. if there are those who support this they should walk that path with Akinci.”

Ozgurgun criticized President Mustafa Akinci’s approach, saying that he didn't react when South Cyprus enters agreements with other countries on natural gas, while the Cyprus talks were ongoing.

The minister also accused Akinci for not replying to a statement made by President Anastasiades’ where he said;

“There will not be a Cyprus settlement without the return of Morfou [Guzelyurt] or Karpasia [Karpaz].“

Ozgurgun revealed that he had made efforts to reply to these remarks, but was advised not to as such statements was capable of undermining the Cyprus talks adding that he does not accept Akinci’s position.

Responding to a question on South Cyprus launching a new round of offshore licensing for hydrocarbon exploration, Ozgurgun maintained that this is a testament of routine strategy the Greek Cypriot side had been employing to for years.

“For years the Greek Cypriots, whilst conducting negotiations with us, have been involved in some form of other activity. The Greek Cypriots have never been negotiating in sincerity and it has been the Turkish Cypriot side which has always been insisting on a settlement”, he said.

Ozgurgun also noted that the Greek Cyprus side needed a settlement of the Cyprus problem just as badly as the Turkish Cyprus side do, saying that;

“It’s like a perception has been created that failure to settle the Cyprus problem will be the end of us and so we are begging for a solution. Unfortunately this has been the prevailing atmosphere in the talks for a very long time. Any settlement to emerge under these conditions will not be good for us, which is why we need to adopt a firm stance. The President has been sitting at the table with his head bowed. Is this the kind of leader the Turkish Cypriot people want?”

The minister also called upon president Akinci to come out and brief the public what concessions he has won at the negotiating table.

“We are seeing statements from the Greek Cypriot side. What are we hearing from Akinci? Nothing! Just absolute silence. This, for me, is totally unacceptable. It is with deep concern I am following the negotiations,” he said.

Speaking on the opening of Derynia crossing point, Ozgurgun stated that Derynia and Aplic crossing points should be opened simultaneously; otherwise president Akinci should not accept the opening of Derynia crossing first alleging that the Greek Cypriot side does not want the Lefke-Aplic crossing to be opened out of fear that Lefke will become a booming centre.