Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat, speaking during a meeting with a delegation from the High Broadcasting Association said democracy in the North was at a much better point than the South’s. Pointing out that with the great struggles carried out by the Turkish Cypriot people, in the last few years they succeeded in changing their own political, social and democratic structure the Prime Minister said in the field of democracy initiatives, in which there was no going back, had been taken.

Explaining that De Soto and Verheugen’s speeches were banned from the state television channels in South Cyprus, Prime Minister Talat said such a thing could never be considered in the TRNC. Pointing out that some Greek Cypriot political parties had complained to the European Commission about the implementation of this news censor, Prime Minister Talat said the weakness in democracy was observed in South Cyprus.

Continuing, he said: “While it is free for South Cyprus to purchase goods produced in the North and sell them to the consumer, in order to sell their excess stock when our producers in the North contact tradesmen in the South they are told ‘sorry we can’t buy your stock because we are scared’. What kind of a democracy is this in the South…Have you ever heard of such a thing in our side? I then ask the question if democracy is better here in the North or in the South?”.

The Prime Minister said fear, worry, extreme nationalism and chauvinism was prominent in the people in the South and Greek Cypriots were frightened to buy goods from the Turkish Cypriots.

Stressing that in the last few years the Turkish Cypriots have been an example to the world, the Prime Minister, pointing out that it was the Turkish Cypriots who represented real freedom in Cyprus and desired a settlement and Cyprus’ reunification requested that it the whole world should continue to be told that it is the Greek Cypriots who are running away from this.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Serdar Denktas, speaking at the opening of the 17^th Annual Mehmetcik Grape Festival on 6 August said the TRNC’s economic life was much better this year than last year and that this would further improve in the future.

Reminding that during this time there was a long period of discussion and a difficult negotiation process, Serdar Denktas stressing that after the referendum the promises made by the international community had still not been kept, said although the TRNC’s economy was in a much better position when compared to previous years, the TRNC has still not reached the point it wanted to reach politically.

Continuing, Serdar Denktas said: “We had the referendum and our people in order to embrace the world and become European made a decision. This decision was not to establish a joint partnership with the Greek Cypriot leadership, who had clearly demonstrated with their votes in the referendum that they didn’t want to be our friends and share anything with us, but a way to embrace with the world and after the referendum although the Turkish Cypriots gained the sympathy of the world, promises made by the international community have still not be kept”.

Stressing that while it’s being considered to establish a new partnership between the Turkish Cypriot side and the Greek Cypriot leadership, the Greek has still not responded to the Turkish Cypriot side’s peace offer, Serdar Denktas said as the Turkish Cypriot side becomes stronger, its economy would gain prosperity and as unity and solidarity amongst the Turkish Cypriot people would be strengthened, the Greek Cypriot side would be forced to accept the offer for peace.