Former Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci said on Wednesday that the UN Secretary-General would leave behind a Cyprus far from a solution, after meeting the UN chief’s personal envoy, Maria Angela Holguin.
Writing in a social media post after Holguin visited him at his office, Akinci said that even the opening of a single crossing point is now considered a step forward if it is agreed.
When the Secretary-General took office 10 years ago, Cyprus was close to a solution, Akinci said. “Now he will hand over a Cyprus far from a solution,” he said, adding that it was a Cyprus where the negotiating table could not even be set up.
The Secretary-General wants to leave having achieved at least some small progress, Akinci said, expressing hope that the effort would succeed. Even opening one or two more crossing points would be a step that makes life easier for Cypriots, he added.
Assessing the situation in Cyprus today, Akinci said one could not help but think of a solution that was lost in 2004 at the referendum stage, and in 2017 at a stage very close to an outcome. The discussion now is about how negotiations can restart, he said.
