Burcu: ‘Deferment of EU acquis will end’

Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akıncı’s spokesman Barış Burcu made a statement to the Greek Cypriot press. In his statement, he said: ‘Everyone today believes that the deferment of the European Union acquis in North Cyprus will come to an end and that they will start a new life after a settlement’.  Burcu stated that the main subject is not the EU, because the negotiations are the UN-led process, and the fundamental principles are based on the Joint Declaration, dated 11 February 2014, and the UN Security Council resolutions.

Burcu said that naturally harmonization with the EU is also a part of the process.

According to a news report by the Greek Cypriot daily Politis, Burcu stated that arrival of the European Commission President’s Personal Representative to the UN Good Offices Mission in Cyprus Pieter Van Nuffel does not mean that the EU is sitting at the negotiation table next to the Greek Cypriots and negotiating. He underlined that the ongoing negotiations are between the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots.

Burcu stated that Van Nuffel has the highly-needed expertise and that it is a positive step.  Saying that harmonization with the EU is not an easy process and that they need time, Burcu stated that the Turkish Cypriots will suddenly find themselves joined to the EU, therefore they should hurry and catch up with EU standards.

Presidential spokesman Barış Burcu also stated that they will be in need of technical and economic assistance.