Turkish Cypriot head Akinci abandons Thursday's leaders' meeting

Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci has left early from a meeting with President Nicos Anastasiades on Thursday.  

President Anastasiades remained at the negotiating table, but has since returned to the Presidential Palace, where he said that he would release a written statement later in the day. 

SigmaLive has learnt that Akinci’s move was premeditated from the last round of talks specialists had in Mont Pelerin, a few weeks ago.  

Akinci is holding a press conference in the occupied areas, after his decision to leave today’s round of negotiations.

CNA has learnt that there is no issue of ending negotiations on the part of the Greek Cypriot side. 

Sigma TV at the Presidential Palace has learnt that Akinci’s actions occurred without any warning and without any reason. 

According to Sigma’s information, Turkish Cypriot media have reported that Akinci has not left from the discussions completely, but that the meeting ended early, due to the fact that the only issue that would be discussed was parliament’s vote to pass an amendment to refer to the unofficial ‘enosis’ referendum held in 1950.

In statements to the Turkish Cypriot press, Akinci said that the idea of ‘enosis’ was responsible for all the tragedies in Cyprus. 

He added that the UN Secretary General Special Adviser Espen Barth Eide asked that the decision of the parliament be corrected.  Akinci also said that now the “correction” needed is in the hands of the Greek Cypriot side.

During his statements to the press, the Turkish Cypriot leader noted that the community does not want a future leader that is working hand in hand with an extreme nationalist, such as ELAM. 

Underlining the need for establishing a culture of peace, particularly at schools, Akinci said that the fact that the decision had been approved by Anastasiades’ own party DISY at the committee level and later indirectly in the parliament by voting in abstention had caused great disappointment and anger within the Turkish Cypriot society.

Akinci said that Anastasiades read out a five-page document highlighting the Greek Cypriot side’s views on the issue, referencing events marked by the so called ‘TRNC’, which are of great discomfort to the Greek Cypriots.

He added that the occupied areas do celebrate those events, but the difference is that these events as carried out as a tradition.  “They were not introduced by me.

 More importantly I acknowledged in speeches delivered on those days that the Greek Cypriots too experienced great suffering in the past,” he said.

The Turkish Cypriot leader also denied reports that he left the meeting.

Read more here.

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