Leaked maps of united Cyprus far from truth

Proposed maps of a reunified Cyprus that were leaked to the media after last week's Geneva conference on the divided island do not reflect the truth, said Turkish Cypriot President Mustafa Akıncı on Wednesday.

"The map we submitted was the ‘29 percent plus' one that was signed by the late president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Rauf Denktaş. All parties in our parliament also approved it," Akıncı said in an interview with state broadcaster TRT Haber. The president reiterated that the Greek Cypriot side's map was unacceptable.

The final stages of the U.N.-brokered conference between the communities in Geneva last week - also attended by the foreign ministers of guarantor powers Turkey, Greece and Britain - ended in a failure to agree on new borders and the presence of Turkish troops on the island. Before the conference, Turkish and Greek Cypriots exchanged maps on proposed territorial boundaries and the documents have been sealed in a U.N. vault.

Akıncı said that any agreement to be reached in Cyprus would mean to take back the rights of Turkish Cypriot people that have been "usurped" for many years. Turkish Cypriots and Turkey are cooperating on the Cyprus issue, he added.

Reunification talks resumed last May and both sides have repeatedly expressed optimism a solution could be found. Once a final agreement is reached, it would be put to both Cypriot communities in a referendum.

Akıncı has said a reunification vote could be held in mid-2017 pending agreement in Geneva.