Cypriot leaders agree on equal armed forces

[Attila the Hun]

Cypriot leaders agree on equal armed forces
Citizenship issues, including legal residence, property right, basic freedoms, and right to vote top Sunday's agenda

By Murat Demirci

LEFKOSA, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

Leaders of Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot communities have agreed over the number of armed forces on both sides, according to the Turkish Cypriot president Sunday.

In remarks made following his face-to-face talks with Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades in Lefkosa, Mustafa Akinci said: "We have come to an agreement that there should be an equal number of armed security units and federal investigation units.

"We had already accepted that the number of the desk officers would be 60-40 percent."

The Turkish Cypriot president said citizenship issues, including legal residence, property rights, basic freedoms, and the right to vote were the main agenda items Sunday.

The meeting was chaired by UN Envoy Espen Barth Eide, who also saw discussions about bi-zones and bi-communality.

“We confirmed once again the reconciliation that we had agreed on before, about 'the right of legal residence which will be 20 percent of the number of citizens in the Turkish Cypriot constituent state'," Akinci added.

He said the property right was a reconciled agenda item during meetings.

"The agreement on this issue has become a mutual understanding. Implementation of this mutual understanding has no concern for us anymore in terms of bi-zones, which has become more of an issue in terms of right to vote in a referendum," he said.

Asked about the Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras' comment that "a solution with the permanent presence of Turkish troops on the island is not a solution", Akinci said: "The number of the troops after the solution will not be the same. Reducing the number of the troops is one of the results of the solution.

"Viewing this issue from this perspective will contribute to the solution,but it's not possible to reach a solution if you say 'zero army, zero security, zero guarantees'."

Reunification talks resumed in May last year following Akinci’s election. Cyprus was divided after a 1974 coup backed by the military junta in Athens was prevented by Turkey’s intervention as a guarantor power.

 

[CrimsonFury]

Stupid deal. The Greek Cypriots will get out of hand again and then we will be again forced to intervene...Turkey should just annex the northern sector of the island and build a naval base along with an air field. Stupid Akinci...he is underwriting the second massacre of Cypriot Turks. Orospucocugu

 

[Attila the Hun]

Stupid deal. The Greek Cypriots will get out of hand again and then we will be again forced to intervene...Turkey should just annex the northern sector of the island and build a naval base along with an air field. Stupid Akinci...he is underwriting the second massacre of Cypriot Turks. Orospucocugu

Agreed. Don't say that out loud here, you'll be accused of watching too much Dirilis Ertugrul or something

 

[Path-Finder]

My brother was in Cyprus last week he visited both sides of the island and he tells me that the Turkish side is unfortunately not receiving the level of development and attention as the Greek side because the Greeks don't want that part being developed. where the Greek side is being developed and aesthetically better.

 

[Attila the Hun]

My brother was in Cyprus last week he visited both sides of the island and he tells me that the Turkish side is unfortunately not receiving the level of development and attention as the Greek side because the Greeks don't want that part being developed. where the Greek side is being developed and aesthetically better.

Having been to Cyprus since a kid, i can tell you, they live good.
Never been to the Greek side, but, on the Turkish side, they are pretty developed . Considering they have no support from the outside world, , it's a miracle.

 

[KediKesenFare3]

My brother was in Cyprus last week he visited both sides of the island and he tells me that the Turkish side is unfortunately not receiving the level of development and attention as the Greek side because the Greeks don't want that part being developed. where the Greek side is being developed and aesthetically better.

North Cyprus is poorer in comparison to the South part of the island but it's relatively richer than Turkey and East European countries (including many EU member states).

South Cyprus is basically a offshore heaven whereas North Cyprus suffers from EU sanctions.