Argument breaks out in live debate
DEPUTY Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Kudret Özersay and President Mustafa Akıncı briefly clashed swords on Tuesday during a live TV debate ahead of the October 11 presidential election.
The pair traded blows over Mr Akıncı’s decision to hand over a map of territorial adjustments to Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades in 2017, and Dr Özersay’s “social dinner” with Mr Anastasiades in 2019.
They were also joined in the studio by two other candidates – Republican Turkish Party leader Tufan Erhürman and Democrat Party MP and independent candidate Serdar Denktaş.
Another candidate who was invited, Rebirth Party leader Erhan Arıklı, joined the discussion via Skype as he was selfisolating after receiving a “weak positive” Covid-19 test result.
Dr Özersay spoke about the “importance” of the “role of the president in being able to influence the policy of Turkey concerning the Eastern Mediterranean and on Cyprus”.
He was then criticised by Mr Akıncı for failing to invite him to a “VIP” tour of the closed part of Maraş that Dr Özersay organised in February this year.
Dr Özersay hit back by asking why he, as the Deputy PM and Foreign Minister, had still not seen the “map” of territorial concessions handed over by Mr Akıncı prior to the collapse of peace talks in 2017.
Mr Akıncı responded by saying that he had not been given prior information about a meeting between Dr Özersay and Mr Anastasiades, with Dr Özersay saying that the “social dinner with the spouses” could “not be compared to handing over a map in the talks”.
Dr Özersay added that it was “important to use the international power of Turkey” and that “what is important is to renew the image of Turkish Cypriots to the Turkish public”.
He stressed that his priority was to establish ways of “cooperating” with the Greek Cypriot side in the absence of a solution, citing how the European Coal and Steel Community eventually lead to the creation of the European Union.
“Let’s put forward new constructive and proactive ideas as to how we can break this status quo,” he said. “Let’s open the doors to cooperation in the field of natural gas prior to a comprehensive solution.”
Explaining his views on Maraş, Dr Özersay said the government was working to open the “ghost town” under Turkish Cypriot administration. “We are talking about returning Maraş to its previous owners. This is a point that will bring us closer to the UN,” he said.