Cyprus Talks: Akinci calls for peaceful solution to Cyprob

The president of the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus (TRNC) Mustafa Akıncı has called for peace in Cyprus adding that he did not want war to break out in the Eastern Mediterranean.


He made the call during a speech he delivered at the 9^th "Once Upon a Time Lurucina" (Akincilar) Festival on Sunday.

He who said that he did not want a war to break out in the Eastern Mediterranean, noted that human tragedies were being experienced everyday in countries close to Cyprus, particularly in Syria, before noting that Cyprus had experienced similar pains in the past.

“There is a need for peace songs in the Eastern Mediterranean, not the beat of war drums. The UN must act as a conductor,” he said.

“Instead of war drums or janissary marches we want peace songs and ballads of friendship in the Eastern Mediterranean,” Akıncı stressed.

He stated that peace songs should not be monophonic and that peace songs and friendship ballads should also come from the South adding that “the guarantor powers should also join these peace songs and the UN should work as a conductor in order to achieve progress.”

Expressing his views on what is required of the Greek Cypriot administration in order to achieve a better island, Akinci said;

“Our hand extended for peace and a solution hand is left hanging in the air. We wait from them to hold this hand, respond positively and constructively and to sincerely join us in singing peace and friendship songs until July. Then, it will be possible to reach better days on this island,” Akıncı said.

“As the Turkish Cypriot side, we are not only protecting our rights at the table but we are also pursuing the rights of the Greek Cypriot people” Akıncı said, adding “we are taking steps for peace without hesitation. We proved this in Mont Pelerin and Geneva. There are some steps which the South should also take. They should stop making rotating presidency an issue of conflict and accept our effective participation in the decisions,” he added.

BRT