On January 16, President Denktas received a delegation Guzelyurt, which included Guzelyurt Mayor, Mahmut Ozcinar, various representatives from political parties and non-governmental organizations from Guzelyurt and several muhktars.

President Denktas said that discussions on handing over Guzelyurt could not be accepted. Calling upon the citizens of Guzelyurt to embrace and protect their property, village, cause, sovereignty and state, the President said: "Everyone is aware of everything. We want reconciliation, peace and EU, but without giving up our rights gained in 1960."

Stressing that the UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, insists on his plan being put to a referendum, the President said this could not be accepted by the Turkish Cypriot side.

The new Speaker of the TRNC Parliament, Fatma Ekenoglu, reacted to an announcement made by the Greek Cypriot Representative Assembly that will mark September 14, as the "Official Remembrance Day for Asia Minor Hellenism and the Asia Minor Catastrophe".

Pointing out that this decision did not compile with the world’s desire for peace and settlement in Cyprus, Ekenoglu called upon Greek Cypriot MP’s to act responsibly and refrain from actions that would sabotage the peace and reconciliation process.

In her written statement, Ekenoglu explained that following World War I, within the framework of conditions put forward by those who won the war and as a result of territorial distributions brought about by the Sevr Treaty, Anatolia was invaded by Greece, which is a historical reality, and under the leadership of the Turkish people’s Great Leader, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, during the War of Independence this reality was turned into another reality and the Republic of Turkey was established.

Pointing out that despite the bitter pains and realities of the past, Ataturk and Venizelos built up the Greco-Turkish friendship, Ekenoglu said at a time when efforts are intensifying to achieve a settlement in Cyprus and especially during a period when peaceful cooperation is being further developed between Greece and Turkey, such a decision by the Greek Cypriot assembly to reopen the wound closed by Ataturk and Venizelos cannot be accepted.

The Undersecretary of the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Baki Ilkin, and the Director of the Cyprus Office, Ertugrul Apakan, yesterday (January 18) arrived in the TRNC in order to carry out evaluations on the Cyprus issue.

Within the framework of contacts aimed at determining a common stance to be followed between Turkey and the TRNC prior to resuming negotiations on the Cyprus issue, the Turkish Foreign Ministry delegation will meet with President Denktas, Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat, and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Serdar Denktas.