In a letter sent to TRNC President Rauf Denktas the
previous night (April 2), Greek Cypriot leader Tasos Papadopulous, rejected
the proposal package put forward by the Turkish Cypriot side.
In his written response, Papadopulos said that he would
only meet President Denktas within the framework of the United Nations and
that he is in favour of the continuation of negotiations on the basis of the
Annan plan.
EROGLU EVALUATES GREEK CYPRIOT REJECTION OF
TURKISH CYPRIOT PROPOSALS: "THIS INDICATES THAT THE GREEK CYPRIOTS DO
NOT HAVE GOOD INTENTIONS"
Following the Greek Cypriot side’s rejection of
President Denktas’ 6 point proposal package, which was submitted as a
result of the good intentions of the Turkish Cypriot side, Prime Minister
Eroglu said that this indicates that the Greek Cypriot side does not have
the same good intentions.
Pointing out that the Turkish Cypriot side took this
initiative with the thought that the two peoples of the two states living on
this island should have good neighbourly relations, Prime Minister Eroglu
said: "This indicates that the existing Greek Cypriot mentality of not
giving the Turkish Cypriots the right to live on the island, which has
continued up until today, has not changed".
Expressing his wish that the Turkish Cypriot side’s
recent proposal of good intention would be carefully considered by the world
and a correct diagnosis is made on determining the intransigent side, the
Prime Minister said: "We took this initiative not with a text which
will replace an agreement, but with the thought that that the two peoples of
the two states living on this island should have good intentions and within
this framework good neighbourly relations. However, the continuation of the
embargoes imposed upon the Turkish Cypriot side up until today indicates
that the Greek Cypriot side has not changed its mentality of not giving the
Turkish Cypriot people the right to live on the island, even if the
President has changed. This rejection maybe because they didn’t evaluate
the proposals carefully before rejecting it".
TURKISH-TRNC MARITIME AGREEMENT RATIFIED
The Turkish Council of Ministers yesterday ratified the
maritime agreement signed between the TRNC and Turkey.
The agreement, which was signed within the context of
establishing a joint council between Turkey and the TRNC, envisages the
strengthening of existing maritime relations, and the development of a joint
maritime policy between the two countries.
Within the framework of agreed principles, the agreement
also allows for passenger and cargo ships of the two countries to come to
each others ports. The agreement will come into effect following the
publication of the ratification decision in the Official Gazette today.
