The TRNC Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Serdar Denktas, yesterday (7 July) received the newly elected muhktar of Kormacit Ilias Papas and listened to his problems.

Speaking after the meeting, Serdar Denktas underlining that many changes had been made regarding Kormacit during the last few years said, during the meeting he had explained to the muhktar the positive changes that had been implemented to make the lives of the Maronites much easier.

He said the rights and understanding shown to the Maronites who have a minority status was proof of the TRNC's respect for minority rights and this shouldn't be interpreted any differently.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs said with the latest changes that had been implemented, Maronites who prefer to reside in the TRNC and have lands in Kormacit would have the right to own that land. He said this people could permanently reside in Cyprus after receiving the relevant permission of stay from the Kormacit muhktar. Indicating that there were some Maronites who wanted to transfer their properties to their children, the Minister said this was also taken up during the meeting.

Indicating that there were water and electricity problems in the villages that the Maronites resided in, Serdar Denktas said he would take the necessary measures to overcome these problems.

Pointing out that in spite of the muhktar being elected by the Maronites living in Kormacit another person who had been appointed as the muhktar of Kormacit by the Greek Cypriot Administration was also trying to use the powers granted to muhktar's in the village, Serdar Denktas said this was not legal and was created discomfort amongst the villagers.

Stating that Ilias Papas, who was elected as the Kormacit muhktar, had the legal right to take action in line with the rights granted to muhktars, Serdar Denktas said he hoped that the recent progress achieved in Kormacit would contribute to a possible settlement in the island.

The TRNC's Washington Representative Osman Ertug in a letter written to the Washington Times on 1 July regarding the Greek Cypriot Assembly's recent approval of the EU constitution, stated that the Greek Cypriot Administration could not represent the island under the legal name "Cyprus". He said: "The name Cyprus can only be used for a structure that would evolve after a settlement established by the two sides".

Responding to an article entitled "EU Constitution Approved by Parliament in Cyprus", Ertug said the word "Cyprus" in the article only referred to the Greek Cypriot Administration on the island and the Greek Cypriot Administration neither represented the Turkish Cypriots nor the whole of the island.

Ertug said the two separate referendums that were carried out on the island on 24 April 2004 had proved that there were exists two peoples on the island who do not have the right to represent or administer the other or represent the whole of the island.

Indicating that purely for political reasons, despite voting against the Annan Plan, the Greek Cypriot side became an EU member, Ertug said this was against justice and law. He underlined that in the 'parliament', which the Greek Cypriots usurped 40 years ago and was monopolizing, the Turkish Cypriots didn't have a single vote in the Parliament.