President Mehmet Ali Talat yesterday (26 April) approved the new Republican Turkish Party - United Forces (CTP-BG) coalition government established by the CTP-BG Acting General Leader and Famagusta Deputy Ferdi Sabit Soyer.

Prime Minister: Ferdi Sabit Soyer
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affair: Sedar Denktas
Minister of the Interior: Ozkan Murat
Minister for Finance: Ahmet Uzun
Minister for the Economy: Dervis Kemal Deniz
Minister for Public Works and Transport: Salih Usar
Minister for Agriculture and Forestry: Huseyin Oztoprak
Minister for Health and Social Welfare: Esref Vaiz
Minister for Youth and Sports: Ozkan Yorgancioglu
Minister for Labour and Social Security: Sonay Adem
Minister for National Education and Culture: Canan Oztoprak

After President Talat read out the list for the new cabinet, short speeches were made by Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Serdar Denktas.

In his speech, Prime Minister Soyer pointing out that in consultation with the DP Leader Serdar Denktas they would work together for the formation and conclusion of the government and its protocol, defined the new government as "The New Restructuring Government". The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Serdar Denktas said last year's CTP-DP coalition government had displayed a harmonious performance and that in the new period they would again work in harmony and mutual understanding. Serdar Denktas said the new government was planning to go through a reformist period.

According to the CTP-BG Democrat Party Coalition Protocol, the primary aim of the 3^rd CTP-DP coalition government that was formed under the leadership of Prime Minister Soyer is to settle the Cyprus issue. In addition to this in order to ensure harmonization with EU norms reforms would also be carried out in areas such as legislation and democratization, as well as efforts to make the TRNC economy more competitive and productive.

Following the President's submission to the Republic's Assembly of the new list for the Council of Ministers and the reading of the Council of Ministers program in the Assembly, it will be put to a vote of confidence and if approved the new government will officially commence its duty.

The EU Commission's General Director in charge of Enlargement, Timo Suma and the EU Commission's Directorate General for Enlargement and the Head of the Task Force Turkish Cypriot Community, Leopold Maurer, arrived on the island on 24 April .

Within the framework of their contacts in Cyprus, Suma and Maurer met with Greek and Turkish Cypriot officials on 25 April and yesterday (26 April) met with some politicians and NGO's in the TRNC. It was stated that during the meetings the Financial Aid, Direct Trade and Green Line Regulations would be discussed as well as ways of overcoming the existing difficulties.

Following their meeting with Prime Minister Soyer, the two EU officials later met with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Serdar Denktas.

Speaking before the meeting, Serdar Denktas pointing out that he would exchange views with Maurer about how the current impasse could be overcome, said it would be beneficial to get together more often. Continuing, he said if the UN Secretary General was expecting to engage in a new initiative to resume the negotiations upon the request of the two sides, recent statements made by Papadopoulos on 25 April to the effect that he supported the 'no' vote, indicated that this would be impossible.

Explaining that it was the international community's responsibility to motivate Papadopoulos, Serdar Denktas said on the issue of the direct trade regulation the international community's expectations regarding the use of Turkish ports would also be discussed.