Turkish Cypriot president to meet head of UN

ANKARA

DHA Photo

Turkish Cypriot President Mustafa Akıncı left June 2 for New York City at the invitation of U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for their first meeting since April’s presidential election in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

“The negotiation process has started intensively,” said Akıncı to the press at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport before departing for New York City.

He added negotiations had been continuing for 47 years, with no result having been achieved so far.

“We hope that a better Cyprus is created for the posterity of both sides during this new period,” he added.

Akıncı referred to a saying: “There are two sides in Cyprus and they have to dance the tango in harmony. If one of them steps on the other’s foot, this issue will fail.”

“I modified that saying,” he added. “We actually need to halay [a traditional Anatolian folk dance] rather than tango. A new process is necessary in Cyprus where everybody will hold hands, with more participation, in harmony, and towards a target.”

Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot leaders agreed on a five-step plan to resolve the issue of the division on the island May 28.

Akıncı and Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades met with U.N. Special Advisor Espen Barth Eide in Cyprus to resume negotiations over the Cyprus issue on May 15.