Turkish foreign ministry spokesman Oncu Keceli on Friday blasted the Greek Cypriot side’s “failure to keep its word” over the matter of crossing points, following the conclusion of the week’s enlarged meeting on the Cyprus problem, which was held in New York.
“Despite all the efforts of the United Nations and all the constructive efforts from the Turkish side, it has not yet been possible to make progress” on the opening of new crossing points or the creation of a new bicommunal solar farm in the buffer zone, he said.
He added that “while the Turkish side, in good faith, accepted the UN’s proposal for a compromise regarding the crossing points, the Greek Cypriot side’s insistence on new conditions at every stage, its failure to keep its word, and its persistent rehashing of unacceptable proposals that it has repeated for years have made it impossible to reach a conclusion”.
On the matter of the solar farm, too, he criticised the Greek Cypriot side, saying their “uncompromising stance” on the matter “has been the sole obstacle to progress”.
Nonetheless, he added, “negotiations aimed at achieving progress in these two areas will continue between the two sides on the island in the coming period, with the support of [UN envoy Maria Angela Holguin] and [UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres]’ future personal representative in Cyprus”.
“It is regrettable that the Greek Cypriot side’s uncompromising stance is obstructing progress in areas such as the opening of new crossing points, which would have a direct and positive impact on the daily lives of both peoples. This mentality clearly demonstrates why a solution to the Cyprus problem other than TRNC president Ersin Tatar’s two-state vision is impossible,” he said.
Oguzhan Hasipoglu, the secretary-general of the north’s largest political party the UBP, meanwhile, was more positive, telling Kibris Postasi TV that while no agreement was reached in New York, “significant progress had been made” on the matter of crossing points.
He also accused the Greek Cypriot side of “avoiding cooperation” with the Turkish Cypriots.
“The importance of crossing points has increased, and my concerns about a potential crisis have now come to pass,” he said, stressing that now, new crossing points must be opened.
However, he said, “the Greek Cypriot side’s insistence” on building roads largely through the buffer zone to connect different parts of the Republic with one another is “not well-intentioned”.
“The Greek Cypriot side aimed to maintain the status quo by driving the process into a vicious circle. Despite all kinds of constructive suggestions, they failed the sincerity test again,” he said.
Turkish Cypriot Nicosia mayor Mehmet Harmanci welcomed the fact that “convergence has been achieved on the issue of opening a crossing point” – something he described as “vital for our daily lives”.
“I want to emphasise once again that we are ready to immediately fulfil every responsibility we bear on this matter,” he said, with one of the suggested crossing points, in the eastern Nicosia suburb of Mia Milia, falling within his municipality’s boundaries.
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