No linkage between Turkish referendum and Cyprus talks: Turkish Cypriot President

There is no link between the referendum process in Turkey and the peace talks for Cyprus, Turkish Cypriot President Mustafa Akıncı has said. 

"The Turkish government has told us that there is no relationship between the constitutional referendum process and the peace talks," Akıncı told the Hürriyet Daily News on Feb. 6.

Greek Cyprus is attempting to spread the impression that Turkish Cypriots cannot act before an April referendum and that the north will be more likely to compromise after the vote, he said.

"We are telling the Greek Cypriots 'we are looking to guarantee our equality, security and freedom, so don't expect ours or Turkey's position on these fundamental issues to change after the referendum," he said. 
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Underlining the need to keep the negotiation momentum high, Akıncı said that following planned meetings in March and April, all the sides will acquire an idea within three months as to whether the process will lead to a solution.

"It has been half a century that we have been talking about a solution. The guarantor states have come together for the first time. Never before have we talked in such depth on issues like territory, security and guarantees. These three months are critical," said Akıncı.

Turkey should not exclude itself from southern energy corridor

While accession to the European Union as a motivating factor has weakened for both Turkey and Turkish Cyprus, energy cooperation could replace it as the main incentive for a solution, according to Akıncı. Although natural gas finds in Cyprus initially appeared to be lower than that those near Israel, Akıncı said new discoveries in Egypt's Zohr field show that the island's natural gas...