Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci is in hot water with Ankara after calling for dialogue and diplomacy to prevail in the wake of Turkey’s military operation in Syria.
In a post on his social media account, Akinci said: “Even though we call 1974 a Peace Operation, it was a war and blood was shed. Even though we call it Peace Spring now, blood is being shed, not water”.
He said the war in Syria had been going on for almost 10 years, and that if blood continued to be shed, peace would not be possible.
“In my view, Turkey’s happy and peaceful future would be possible with an order of things which all peoples’ of the area, Turks, Kurds, Turkmens and Arabs will build through dialogue”.
He said Syria should be able to defend its territorial integrity and Turkey should be able to feel secure within her own borders.
“It would be very useful for the relations between Turkey and Syria to be re-established the soonest possible.”
“A Turkey which cooperates and does not fight with the EU would be better for everyone,” said Akinci.
Akinci’s comment were seen as “ungrateful criticism” by Ankara.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Akinci had “gone beyond the limits”.
“He should know his limits. The office in which he sits now is not an office which he earned with his own power. It was earned with the struggle of the Republic of Turkey…I believe that our kinsmen will give him the necessary answer,” said Erdogan in a statement.
In a post on Twitter, Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay also condemned Akinci claiming that he “made an unfortunate statement which does not take Turkey’s side in the just struggle against PKK/PYD”.
Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu preferred to “protest silently” by posting on his social media account a video of the late Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.
His son Serdar Denktash, former chairman of the Democratic Party (DP), said he was saddened by the soured climate after an “unfortunate” statement by Akinci, when the Turkish army was protecting Turkey’s borders during the operation against “terrorism” and was “fighting for humanity”.
The Trade Union Platform expressed its support for Akinci, saying he was the voice and the conscience of the Turkish Cypriots.
The Platform described as “unacceptable” the insults, threats and comments against Akinci by those who wanted everyone to obey all steps taken by the Turkish governments under any circumstances.
Akinci said his comments were misinterpreted “within the flood of emotions” which existed in Turkey as he did not advocate a dialogue with the PKK.
“A great injustice is being made. There is a big distortion…What I said is the following: Is there anyone in Cyprus who does not want Turkey to be rescued from the trouble of terror? Of course, I want this. There is no room for distortion”.
Akinci added: “I want channels of dialogue and diplomacy between Turkey and Syria to open the soonest possible. Not only with Syria, with the EU and Egypt as well. I believe in the power of diplomacy and dialogue.”
“Everyone in Cyprus knows what I wanted to say. I am an old politician. There is no reaction to what I said here. People in Cyprus see where I stand for years”.
