Akinci: It is not clear what Anastasiades wants

Mustafa Akinci gave a press conference yesterday in response to last week’s press briefing by President Anastasiades.

Akinci said he would have met with President Anastasiades yesterday but the meeting was not made possible as no progress was achieved on the issues of mobile telephony and electricity.

Akinci criticized Anastasiades, by saying that "it is not clear what he says and what he wants, thereby creating confusion’’

A devolution of powers without effective participation of the Turkish Cypriots is not possible, he said, stressing that a positive vote from each side must exist in all federal bodies.

Akinci also expressed the view that the dilemma Cyprus faces is a solution based on a bizonal bicommunal federation or status quo.

"There is no other way for the two communities except for a solution of bizonal bicommunal federation and it is necessary for both sides to show goodwill," he noted.

Among other things, he said that even if the powers of the constituent states were strengthened in a proposed decentralized federation, the Turkish Cypriot side would not accept central government decisions on the basis of minority-majority.

He also criticized Anastasiades’ statement on the proposed East Med pipeline and more generally on the Greek Cypriot side's actions on energy issues.

Akinci said that the example given by Anastasiades regarding the EastMed pipeline, shows that he is rejecting what has already been agreed regarding the authorities of the federal cabinet. As he said, ''in this example he suggests that after the federation is founded, natural gas would be an issue that would only concern the Greek Cypriots’’. Furthermore, after the solution, the plan to transfer gas to foreign markets through Turkey will not get the go ahead, even though it is for the benefit to all sides, Akinci implied.

''In the event that one side is not ready for a solution, then this should be clarified. The solution will come only with the will of both sides’’, said Akinci.