North Cyprus open for dialogue - Akinci

The President of the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus, Mustafa Akıncı has said that the doors for dialogue remains open as long as a solution has not been found on the Cyprus problem.

Akinci made the remarks during an addressed he delivered at the Economics and Politics seminar organised by the Middle East Technical University’s North Cyprus campus on Thursday.

Akinci noted that after the Mont Pèlerin and Geneva summits, the Crans-Montana summit was seen as the last chance for a solution being found to the Cyprus problem.

According to him, the Turkish Cypriot side and Turkey had displayed a reasonable stance at the talks but that the Greek Cypriot side had not shown a similar attitude and that despite this, the Turkish Cypriot side had not closed the door on dialogue.

As long as the problem remains, the search for a solution will continue. Different solution perspectives can develop, whatever is going to happen will happen through negotiations”, he said adding that even if there is going to be a division of the island, that too will be discussed.

We will not close the doors to dialogue but we also know that during this phase, negotiations will not take place, said Akıncı.

He further said that “the negotiations will not continue open ended”.

He noted that another round of talks could only take place if it was result orientated, a balance package emerged and if the Greek Cypriot side underwent a serious change in its outlook.

He said that in the event of a possible solution, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus will be one of the constituent states and if a solution isn’t found then it will continue as it is.

There is no need to search for other ways”, said Akıncı.

Culled from BRT