LEFKOSA, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot President Mustafa Akinci has said his administration regards the system of rotating presidency an indispensable part of political equality in Cyprus peace talks.
"We want the Turkish Cypriot people to take its rightful position with regard to international law. We are aware that this can be achieved through a resolution," Akinci told reporters Wednesday during a press conference in Lefkosa.
The proposed system involves a federal state with a rotating presidency.
On May 28, Turkish Cypriot President Mustafa Akinci and Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades met at the U.N.'s Good Office on the island, hosted by U.N. Special Adviser for Cyprus, Espen Barth Eide. During their talks, Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot leaders had agreed on a five-step plan to resolve the Cyprus issue.
The steps included opening more crossing points, interconnecting the power grids, allowing mobile phone interoperability on both sides of the island, resolving the issue of radio frequency conflicts, and forming a joint committee on gender equality on Cyprus.
Political tensions in the long-divided island have eased since full-fledged talks resumed on May 15.
The Greek Cypriot administration had unilaterally suspended the talks last October after Turkey issued an advisory on behalf of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus for seismic research off the coast of Cyprus.
The island was divided into a Turkish Cypriot government in the northern third and a Greek Cypriot administration in the southern two-thirds after a 1974 military coup by Greece was followed by a peace operation by Turkey as a guarantor state in Cyprus.
