Turkish Cypriot president: 'Time to reach a decision'

LEFKOSA, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

The president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said Tuesday that the time to reach a decision in the Cyprus peace talks had come.

Speaking at a ceremony held for the 33rd anniversary of the foundation of the TRNC, Mustafa Akinci said: "It's time to reach a decision in the almost 50-year-old negotiations."

"Negotiations cannot be sustained for another 50 years," he added. "We are now close to the moment of decision in peace talks we carried out in consultation with Turkey."

Akinci and Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades were engaged in sustained negotiations in Mont Pelerin, Switzerland, since Nov. 7 under the auspices of the UN.

"It is also clear that, as advances have been made, there are still some things that need to be resolved and that are important to both sides," said Akinci, who returned to Lefkosa on Sunday.

Akinci said that two important parameters for Turkish Cypriots were "the rotating presidency” and “the active participation in the decisions".

Present at the ceremony, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Tugrul Turkes said Ankara supported a united Cyprus "where the Turkish Cypriots will not be a minority but a founding element with equal rights".

Reunification talks between the Greek and Turkish communities on the island resumed in May 2015 and are expected to be resolved by the end of this year with the formation of a federal administration.

The eastern Mediterranean island was divided into a Turkish Cypriot state in the north and a Greek Cypriot administration in the south after a 1974 military coup was followed by the intervention of Turkey as a guarantor power. The Turkish Cypriot side declared independence in 1983.

*Reporting by Murat Demirci; Writing by Sibel Ugurlu