Akinci: If there are no Turkey’s guarantees, the Turkish Cypriots will vote “no” in the referendum
Under the title “I have to give people what they want”, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (30.12.15) reports that Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci has said that according to surveys, the Turkish Cypriots will vote “no” in a possible referendum for a solution which does not include Turkey’s guarantees. In statements last night to all Turkish Cypriot television channels (BRT, KIBRIS TV, Genc TV, Sim TV, Kanal T, Ada TV, Diyalog TV and As TV), Akinci expressed the view that the issue of guarantees should be discussed at a five-party conference with the participation of the two communities and the guarantor powers after all the other matters “are cleared up” and the territory issue is “led to its end”.
This should happen “after the picture on the other issues has almost come to light”, he argued and added: “We see that the continuation of Turkey’s guarantees is necessary. This is our position. I have to give people what they want”.
Noting that the Greek Cypriots see Turkey’s guarantees as a threat, Akinci pointed out that a formula should be found so that the Greek Cypriots will not see this as a threat.
Asked whether there was an agreement on the property issue, Akinci replied that as on every other chapter, progress has been achieved on the property as well. He noted: “The property is an issue on which people are very sensitive. Political equality, governance and power sharing are also important for us. Progress has been achieved on these as well. Three of the six chapters are the Economy, the EU, and Governance and Power Sharing and the other three are the Property, the Territory and the Guarantees. We have touched upon every one of them, but on the territory, for example, the map, the percentages and names of villages were not discussed. Therefore, we cannot say that it has really been discussed”.
Noting that 22 chapters have been agreed regarding the categorization of the affected properties, Akinci said that the criteria are still being discussed and added:
“Not everything has ended in full sense. If an agreement is reached on the criteria in the property, the possibility of the other issues passing more easily will increase. […]”
Referring to the rotating presidency, Akinci said that no agreement is reached on this issue and added that this is important for the Turkish Cypriots because “it is one of the important indicators for our political equality”.
Touching upon the return of the refugees to their homes, Akinci said that their target is for the least possible people to be displaced and noted: “I want to convey the following message to the people: We have some targets on the property issue. One of them is for the least possible of our people to be displaced, because one principle is that returning to the pre-1974 period is not possible, as this is not in harmony with the conditions of life. Life is showing us the future, that is, many different lives have been built within 41 years both in the north and in the south. Therefore, if some people are exhibiting the understanding that we will massively bring the people living here 41 years ago, this will not happen, because not all of these people are still alive and we have to look at the future, as their children built a new life”.
Arguing that the criteria on the property issue should be clear, Akinci said:
“There could be no condition such as that someone will be displaced without having any alternative and an appropriate choice. In any case, we are proposing for such situations to be experienced in a very limited number in the north. […] The following understanding comes onto the agenda in the Greek Cypriot side: The first owner of the property, that is, the pre-74 owner of the title deed will have the first say and the negotiating team has accepted this. This is a misunderstanding. The first holder of the title deed will have the right to file application first. And when, within one year, he will say that this property belongs to me, I want compensation or I want exchange or I want to live in it, the situation of the people living in it will be examined. Demopoulos case gave to us this right at the ECHR. He will have the right to apply, but the person living in [the property] will also have a right. No agreement has been reached yet on these issues, they are being discussed”.
Akinci said that there could be exchange of properties, but there will not be so many returns [of property]. He added:
“If less people come, it means that more compensation will be paid. Because we have established this, financing is being searched in the international arena with the help of Mr Espen Barth Eide during this period when the international interest is intensive. The foreigners, who paid a visit here, gave positive messages […]”
Akinci noted that different criteria will be discussed for the issue of the occupied fenced off city of Varosha.
Asked whether President Anastasiades shares the same views with him on the property issue, Akinci replied: “If Anastasiades said yes to everything, we would have finished the chapter of the property. We are discussing the criteria. Both we and they are preserving our positions, but there has been rhetoric lasted for years, which has slowly slowly started remaining to the past”.
Expressing the belief that the issue of the rotating presidency will be overcome and that progress will be made on the property issue, Akinci claimed that bi-zonality is one of the UN parameters, according to which the Turkish Cypriots should have the majority of properties and population in the “north” and the Greek Cypriots in the “south”.
Referring to the energy issue, Akinci reiterated that the natural gas could become a project by which both sides will gain, instead of being turned into an issue of tension.
Replying to a question, Akinci expressed the belief that the “cross voting” will be beneficial from the point of view of bringing the two communities closer to each other.
Referring to the reactions against the rotating presidency within the Greek Cypriot community, Akinci argued that this principle was included in the Annan Plan and the Turkish Cypriots want it.
Replying to a question on the issue of the population, Akinci alleged that it is not possible for the population of the two communities to become equal and added: “There is no ratio such as four to one […] We have asked the number of the citizens from the ministry of interior. We saw that the ratio is close to four to one. What the Greek Cypriot side wants to do is for this ratio not to be spoiled by granting citizenship to people coming from Turkey and Greece. In any case, we have no such intention […]”
Akinci argued that an agreement has been reached on the issue of all existing “citizens” to become “citizens” of united Cyprus and that there is no list like in the Annan Plan.
(I/Ts.)