A leftist moderate promising to press for a
peace deal in Cyprus swept to victory in the Turkish Cypriot presidential
election runoff yesterday, the Cyprus Mail reports.
Mustafa Akinci, standing as an independent,
won 60.3 percent of the votes, against his rival incumbent president Dervis
Eroglu who received 39.50%.
In his first speech after his victory,
Akinci said he would stand by everything he promised during the election
campaign. He will follow a pro-solution policy on the Cyprus problem backed by
confidence building measures, Turkish Cypriot daily Detay reports.
Addressing his supporters in Inonu square
in northern Nicosia after the results were announced, Akinci said that nothing
could stop change because the people were determined to make the change and
thanked all the parties which supported him.
Akinci said that President Anastasiades had
called to congratulate him and added that they will have a meeting soon after
the “formalities” are over. “This country has no more time to lose”, he
stressed. “We would have liked the generations before us to have solved the
problems of this island. This did not happen. If we cannot solve them either, then
they could become a bigger burden for the generations after us. I told him that
and he shares the same view”.
In a message to Turkey, Akinci said that he
wants that their relations be based on mutual respect.
Moreover, Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika says
that Akinci had said his approach would be one that protects the rights of the
Turkish Cypriot people, but tries to understand the point of view of the other
side as well, showing empathy.
Akinci added: “There has been much pain in
the past,” he said. “But we were not the only ones who experienced this, the
community in the south also experienced pain. It is time to heal our wounds.
The past generations shared this pains. Let the future generations share the
blessings of this island.”
The Cyprus News Agency reports that UN
Secretary General`s Special Adviser on Cyprus Espen Barth Eide, also
congratulated him and said he will be in Cyprus between May 4 – 8 to continue
preparations for the resumption of peace talks.
Akinci’s election gives hope for reunification, says President
The election of Mustafa Akinci to the
leadership of the Turkish Cypriot community gives hope that at long last Cyprus
will be reunited, President Nicos Anastasiades said on Monday following
Akinci’s landslide victory, the Cyprus Mail reports.
He also sent a message to Ankara to
contribute towards a solution because “it is Turkey which occupies Cyprus’ northern
areas.”
“We extend our hand, not to have it
assaulted, but to have it accepted,” he said, and expressed the conviction that
there will be cooperation for the good of the country.
Akinci victory sparks war of words on Twitter
Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci’s
election victory on Sunday sparked a flurry of discussions on Twitter, with
some in the Greek Cypriot political elite going against the grain of renewed
hope for a settlement to the decades-long conflict, the Cyprus Mail says.
Prominent hardliners – DIKO leader, Nicolas
Papadopoulos, and Yiorgos Lillikas, head of the Citizens’ Alliance, were
criticised not only for their refusal to congratulate the winner, but also
through posting openly undiplomatic responses on the issue.
Immediately after Akinci’s win was
announced on Sunday night, Papadopoulos tweeted his take on the result, setting
the stage for what was to follow.
“Those who claim that the Cyprus problem
will be solved because the Turkish Cypriot negotiator has changed are simply
exculpating Turkey,” he said.
This was immediately countered by DISY
member Michalis Sofocleous, who criticized Papadopoulos for lack of common
courtesy.
“Not even for appearances,” said
Sofocleous, director of the ‘Glafcos Clerides’ Institute. “Congratulate the man
on a human level first!”
Unfazed, DIKO’s leader answered the
question with a question. “Why exactly should I congratulate the occupation
leader?” Papadopoulos asked. “Has he returned our properties?”
This sparked a number of remarks and
comments, ranging from the sarcastic to those bordering on abuse.
Citizens’ Alliance leader Yiorgos Lillikas
was even more confrontational, and drew his share of flak.
In response to a tweet by Omer Tilli, which
claimed that “several fellow countrymen Greek Cypriots are with us at Inonu
square – come and see what hope is”, Lillikas had only sarcasm to offer.
“I know what hope is… and I know what
delusion is… I hope I am wrong,” he replied.
Predictably, it was not long before he was
met with criticism.
“The brothers [Yiorgos Lillikas, Nicolas
Papadopoulos and Yiannakis Omirou] started singing the familiar tune, that
Turkey decides for everything!” user Active citizen wrote.
Once again, Lillikas opted for sarcasm. “I
imagine you have never heard of Turkish occupation,” he replied. “If someone
ever brings it up, just ignore him.”
But unless Lillikas was going for sparking
interest in his Twitter account – under the doctrine “there’s no such thing as
bad publicity” – this quickly backfired.
“This is populism and sarcasm that does not
honour you,” user Mattheos Mattheou responded. “At last, get serious.”
