As Turkish Cypriot President Mustafa Akıncı and Greek Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades continue negotiations in efforts to bring about a permanent solution on the long-divided island, U.N. Special Adviser for Cyprus, Espen Barth Eide, is to visit Turkey on Wednesday and meet with Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioğlu. Eide's recent statement on the return of land has caused concern, but in response, he tried to refine his statements, saying that his remarks were misunderstood.
Eide said that the leaders had agreed that the rights of all property owners and current users would be respected in a settlement and that a property commission would be created to decide on return, exchange or compensation. In this regard, Eide and Siniroğlu are expected to discuss topics of property, right of land and Turkey's position as a guarantor state to Cyprus.
Shortly after Eide's statement, Akıncı dismissed claims of returning land that is currently being controlled by Turkish Cyprus to Greek Cyprus. Akıncı said: "Our aim is to make an agreement that is in accordance with international law and will protect the rights of both sides." He said his administration regards the system of a rotating presidency as an indispensable part of political equality in the peace talks. With the reunification talks reaching a critical phase, Akıncı said that significant topics are property, land and Turkey's guarantor position. Though both Turkish Cyprus and Turkey aim to keep the guarantor position, Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs Nicos Kotzias had previously said guarantor powers were no longer required. While the Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders had agreed on a five-step plan to resolve the Cyprus issue, Akıncı reassured that any agreement would have to include Turkish Cypriots' freedom, equality and security.
The island was divided into a Turkish Cypriot government in the northern one-third and a Greek Cypriot government in the southern two-thirds of the island after a 1974 military coup by Greece was followed by an intervention by Turkey as a guarantor state. If the claims in Eide's statements are realized, it would result in handing over nearly 76 percent of Turkish Cypriot land to its previous Greek Cypriot owners, which opposition deputy Mustafa Arabacıoğlu said would result in a "civil war."
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