ACTING PRIME MINISTER SERDAR DENKTAS: “ISOLATION IMPOSED UPON TURKISH CYPRIOTS DID NOT ENSURE SETTLEMENT”

Acting Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Serdar Denktas, participating in a radio program yesterday (27 April) evaluated the referendum results and the steps that would jointly be taken by Turkey and the TRNC.

Referring to the issue of putting on hold the EU acquis communitaire and pointing out that it was being evaluated that the reason why the acquis communitaire was put on hold in the North was because of  “non settlement, the partition of the island and because the North was not yet ready for this (EU membership)”, Serdar Denktas said it was the Greek Cypriot side who prevented a united Cyprus from entering the EU and that was why the Turkish Cypriot side (in a letter sent to the EU) requested holding the acquis communitaire in the South until a settlement was reached. He added it was necessary to treat the two sides fairly .

Explaining that the Greek Cypriot side prevented a united island from entering the EU, the acting Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Serdar Denktas, said despite the announcement of the EU’s decision to channel 259 million Euros to the Turkish Cypriot side, this was insufficient because the Turkish Cypriot people deserved much more for its struggle.

Stating that by acting quickly on this issue there would also be other EU and UN countries they would be visiting and that this week they would make their voices heard by attending the preliminary meeting of the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC), which will have its annual meeting in June, Serdar Denktas said policies directed at imposing embargoes and isolating the Turkish Cypriot people did not secure a settlement in Cyprus and it was for this reason that all interested parties had to re-evaluate their policies.

CYPRUS DEBATE IN EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
VERHEUGEN: “OFFICE TO BE OPENED IN THE NORTH"
PRIME MINISTER TALAT: “GREEK CYPRIOTS WILL NO LONGER REPRESENT THE TURKISH CYPRIOTS”

In yesterday’s (27 April) session the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee discussed the Cyprus issue and the referendum results.

Speaking at the meeting, EU Enlargement Commissioner Gunther Verheugen said the EU Commission would open an office in the North and with the aim of reuniting the island it would take measures to channel large sums of financial aid to the North. Verheugen said within this framework the EU was working on legal principles.

While talking about the past phases of the Cyprus issue and criticizing the Greek Cypriots, Verheugen reminded that EU member countries supported a Cyprus settlement and that as long as this was not achieved they had opposed the island’s entry into the EU, said, however, this attitude changed in 1999 when it was observed that the EU enlargement process could not take place unless the EU opened its doors to the Greek Cypriots.

Pointing out that the Greek Cypriot side had initially supported the UN process and had continued this stance until they signed the EU Accession Treaty in 2002, Verheugen said the Turkish Cypriot side displayed a very constructive stance and on referring to the Greek Cypriot side’s negative stance in Switzerland, added that the Turkish Cypriot side was ready to sign the Annan Plan but the Greek Cypriot side hadn’t even considered this.

Explaining that although Protocol 10 of the EU Accession Treaty stated that the Annan Plan had to be supported, this was not respected by the Greek Cypriot side, Verheugen said, the concerns voiced by the Greek Cypriot side today were unfounded and allegations that an EU member country was being threatened by an EU candidate country would not be taken seriously and that such allegations were “absurd”. Also criticizing the Greek Cypriot Orthodox Church for its negative stance, Verheugen said it wasn’t becoming of the Church to see the Turkish Cypriots as second class citizens.

Referring to the financial aid package that would be given to the Turkish Cypriot side, Verheughen said this aid would not only be used for infrastructure projects but also for cultural, social and legal projects.

Explaining that the EU wanted to end the economic isolation of the North and make the Green Line a line where goods, people and ideas would be able to cross over, Verheugen said in order to achieve this they were trying to overcome the legal obstacles.

Speaking at the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee meeting, Prime Minister Talat criticizing the Greek Cypriot side for its rejection of a settlement plan approved by the UN and the EU, expressed his disappointment that this opportunity was missed.

Pointing out that the Turkish Cypriot people were ready to cooperate with the international community and the EU, Prime Minister Talat explaining that there were no longer any obstacles preventing direct contacts from being established with the TRNC and that the Greek Cypriot Administration had completely lost its legitimacy and could not represent the Turkish Cypriots, said it was now time for the EU to “grab this opportunity” and reminded that although they had requested for the embargoes to be lifted this was not a settlement.

Talking about a Greek Cypriot parliamentarian who had said he couldn’t meet with him in the North, the Prime Minister said he could visit the North whenever he wanted if he respected state rules. The Prime Minister said it was not the Turkish Cypriot side who was responsible for the island’s division.

Continuing, Prime Minister Talat said: “The Greek Cypriots think Turkey will prevent a settlement. They have been confronted with the reality and possibility of a settlement for the first time. Lifting the embargoes is not the only thing we want. The Turkish Cypriots cannot be punished because the Greek Cypriots say so. This does not conform to European values. Our desire for settlement and unity still continues”.

EUROPEAN COUNCILS OPENING PATH FOR TURKISH CYPRIOT PARLIAMENTARIANS

A draft resolution has been prepared by the European Council’s Parliamentary Assembly regarding the participation of Turkish Cypriot parliamentarians in European Council General Assembly meetings, as well as having the right to speak in these meetings.

The draft resolution will be discussed and approved in today’s (28 April) meeting of the European Council’s Parliamentary Assembly. Up until today, Turkish Cypriot parliamentarians could only attend the relevant committee meetings on Cyprus and if the draft resolution is passed in addition to being able to attend all general assembly meetings, they will also have the right to speak, if they wish, in political group and expert committee meetings, but according to (European Council) rules will not have the right to vote at the general assembly.

Expressing its pleasure at the EU’s decision to provide financial assistance to the TRNC, the draft resolution stated that the European Council was ‘disappointed’ with the Greek Cypriot ‘no’ vote in the referendum.