Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan\u2019s arrogant response to newly elected Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Ak\u0131nc\u0131\u2019s comments about a more equal, brotherly relationship with Turkey has met with scorn in Cyprus.<\/p>\n
The 67-year old former mayor of Nicosia, a veteran of the Cypriot politics was elected on Sunday, gaining 60.38% of the vote. Running as an independent, he has won somewhat unexpectedly with a landslide on the second round of the presidential elections. His come- back may be surprising for some, but Mr Akinci has been an important figure in Northern Cyprus politics for a long time. He is also highly respected in the South.<\/p>\n
During one of my visits to the island in the 1990\u2019s, I witnessed this first hand. Sitting in his office, the then Greek Cypriot mayor of Nicosia Lellos Demetriades spoke warmly of the former mayor Mustafa Akinci and their collaboration for the joint Nicosia Sewage Project.\u00a0 It took a charismatic Greek Cypriot and a brave and committed Turkish Cypriot politician to unite their city -albeit underground- so soon after the violent division of their communities.\u00a0 In his book \u201cEchoes from the Dead Zone- across the Cyprus Divide\u201d<\/a> Yiannis Papadakis writes how the most successful bi-communal project was achieved by Demetriades and Akinci, later depicted in a cartoon with their pants down, sitting on toilets opposite each other , jointly pulling a flush chain.<\/p>\n For the presidential elections, Mustafa Akinci conducted a clear campaign on a platform of peace and reunification. \u00a0The focus of his policy was to reach a settlement. He told his voters that Cyprus could not tolerate any more wasted time. \u201cThose that have suffered know what it is to feel real pain. They are the ones that want to have peace more than anyone one else\u201d, he was reported as saying. \u00a0During his campaign, he repeatedly called for a more grown-up, more equal relationship between Turkish Cypriots and Turks. Hours after his resounding victory, Mr Akinci again talked about the nature of this relationship. \u201cIt should no longer be a \u201cmotherland and kinderland\u201d type but a \u2018brotherly\u2019 one\u201d, he said.<\/p>\n For those of us, watching Cyprus affairs for many years, there was nothing new in this. Mr Akinci has been an outspoken critic of the\u201ccolonialist\u201d tendencies among Turkey\u2019s ambassadors and military commanders in Northern Cyprus before.<\/p>\n As a veteran journalist and a Turkish Cypriot himself, Yusuf Kanli reminded us in his latest Hurriyet Daily News column<\/a> that Mr Akinci had always been a proud, straight-speaking and honest politician. For example, his opposition to police and fire-departments being under the control of the Turkish military was well-known. \u201cWhen in 1999, as deputy prime minister, Ak\u0131nc\u0131 objected to that crooked situation and the commander of the time ridiculed him in front of a crowd, he did not step back but instead said, \u201cPasha, mind you, this is my homeland\u201d \u00a0Yusuf Kanli<\/a> remembered.<\/p>\n So it is not surprising when President Erdogan scolded him by saying<\/a> \u201c\u201cMr. President\u2019s ears should hear what comes out of his mouth\u201d, Mr Akinci responded: \u201cI have not only ears to hear but also a moral compass to feel with. I speak both from my heart and my brain. I didn\u2019t say anything about estranging Turkey. On the contrary, I spoke of a healthy relationship.\u201d He went on to ask: \u201cShould we always remain a baby? Shouldn’t we one day become an adult?\u201d<\/p>\n Further undiplomatic and insulting comments<\/a> from some senior members of the ruling Justice and Development Party were firmly but politely rejected by Akinci\u2019s office. Former president Mehmet Ali Talat and former prime minister Ferdi Soyer<\/a>, along with other political parties and trade unions condemned the Turkish statements.<\/p>\n As well as being a man with integrity, Mr Akinci is an experienced and wise politician. He is well aware of dangers of a prolonged spat with Turkey. Sure enough, he was quick to take steps in order to diffuse the tension. He has rescheduled his meeting with the Greek Cypriot President Nicos Anastassiades and announced that he would make his first foreign visit to Turkey.<\/p>\n Akinci\u2019s election comes a week before the expected arrival of the UN Special Advisor Espen Barth Eide to prepare the ground for the restart of talks, suspended last October. Akinci\u2019s victory has initially brought some optimism to the South, somewhat dampened by the Turkish President\u2019s angry comments.\u00a0 Those well-versed in the complexities of the Cyprus problem, such as Dr\u00a0 Zenon Stavrinides of Leeds University and the General Secretary of the Association of Cypriot, Greek and Turkish Affairs, Akinci\u2019s election gives some hope that a federal settlement can be negotiated for the Cyprus problem but there are many pitfalls along the way.<\/p>\n Dr Stavrinides told me that for the UN-sponsored negotiations to be successful, Mr Akinci,- with the permission of Erdogan and the Turkish government and establishment- needs to abandon demands which are unacceptable to Greek Cypriots, such as a confederal structure or the maintenance of Turkish security guarantees, including the right of intervention in Cyprus. He has to make concessions to the Greek Cypriots to satisfy their sense of justice, such as the return of considerable territory, including both Varosha and Morphou.<\/p>\n In return, President Anastassiades, with the support of at least the two major parties, Democratic Rally and AKEL, would have to abandon the Greek Cypriot demands which are unacceptable to Turkish Cypriots, such as the refusal to any security guarantees, including if necessary external intervention, and to increase their concessions to the Turkish Cypriots, in order to satisfy their sense of justice. Among them, the recognition of the right of long-standing Turkish settlers to live in Cyprus, restrictions on property ownership and the level of representation of Turkish Cypriots in federal structures.<\/p>\n According to Dr Stavrinides, even if by some \u201cinspired negotiating intelligence, the two sides find ways to implement these conditions, and a new package deal is worked out which is endorsed by the UN Security Council and is given the title of the Ban-ki Moon Plan\u201d, it will still have to be put to two parallel referenda.<\/p>\n Dr Zenon Stavrinides describes both Akinci and Anastassidies as leaders that personally want a federal settlement consistent with the basic interests of their own communities. Nevertheless, chances of a significant breakthrough is still very small.<\/p>\n