Turkish Cypriot President Mustafa Akıncı told the press on Thursday that "United Cyprus Federation" is a possible new name for a unified Cyprus upon successful resumed reunification negotiations between Greek and Turkish Cyprus.
The name used for U.N.-sponsored a unified Cyprus referendum rejected by the Greek side in 2004, was the United Federal Republic of Cyprus. If negotiation talks continue at their current pace, a permanent solution to the decades-long Cyprus issue could be shaped within months, Akıncı said.The guarantor statuses of Turkey, Greece and the U.K. have also been left out of the debate so far, Akıncı said. According to the negotiated plan, Turkish and Greek states will be founded first for the Cypriot federation, with each having their own citizenship system. The new federation will have one lower and one higher parliament, while both Turkish and Greek Cypriots will have the right to reside anywhere on the island.
Peace talks were unilaterally suspended by Greek Cyprus last October after Turkey sent an exploratory ship on behalf of Turkish Cyprus to conduct seismic research off the coast of Greek Cyprus. A major initiative collapsed in 2004 when a U.N. reunification blueprint was rejected by Greek Cypriots in a referendum. Greek Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades, who backed the 2004 initiative, said it was important that there were no winners or losers in the process. Negotiations would be assisted by an EU technocrat to ensure that any arrangements be in conformity with EU rules and regulations,
U.N. Security Council backing for the reunification of Cyprus is "encouraging," though no timetable is in the cards, U.N. special adviser on Cyprus Espen Barth Eide said on Wednesday. "All [15 security council members] were very encouraging of the work of the two leaders, and recognized the efforts they are making by thinking about the big picture instead of insisting on minor details," said Eide, the adviser on Cyprus to U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
Eide, speaking after a closed-door council meeting, said this "new tone is recognized in New York and very much welcomed."
"There is a very good climate and real progress, but a lot of work remains to be done. The message from every Security Council member that we just heard is there is no time to lose, this momentum must be upheld," Eide said, adding that he was "very encouraged to go back to Cyprus and have our next meeting with the two leaders on Monday morning."
