Moderate Mustafa Akinci’s landslide victory in the presidential elections for the new Turkish Cypriot leader in the north on Sunday was generally viewed as a positive outcome that could give a new momentum to the stalled reunification talks, with President Nicos Anastasiades quick to congratulate the veteran politician.
But despite Akinci’s gestures with olive branches and hinting that he would be ready to discuss reopening the abandoned ghost city of Famagusta, some Greek Cypriots were cautious to jump to conclusions as they fear the final decision will still be taken in Ankara.
On the other hand, some even suggest that die-hard nationalists in the south will prevent Anastasiades from reaching a deal, or at least tangible progress in closing the gap of divergences.
The only encouraging note was that Akinci seemed ready to return to the UN-led talks, while Anastasiades said that he would be willing to announce unilateral measures to revive confidence among the distrustful communities, regardless if Famagusta is returned to the Greek Cypriot refugees.
Akinci, who made it clear that he does not plan to upset the Turkish government, said that the any move on Famagusta would have to be linked with the town’s port assuming international recognition, as well as the airport at Tymbou-Ercan.
The former mayor of the Turkish Cypriot part of Nicosia, credited with achieving a historical bi-communal sewerage project with his Greek Cypriot counterpart Lellos Demetriades three decades ago, has the strong support of 60% of the voters on his side and is expected to announce new negotiators to head the Turkish Cyprior team this week.
Special Representative Espen Barth Eidhe is back on the island this weekend in an effort to restart talks that had been suspended when Turkey sent its survey ship Barbaros into Cyprus commercial waters last October.
Turkey says the Turkish Cypriots too have a right to claim from the island’s resources, now that natural gas was discovered off the southern coast and adjacent to gas-rich fields in Israel’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). But Anastasiades has said on several occasions that the revenues from future gas sales will be shared by all Cypriots, but only after a solution is reached.
