The new cabinet of the Republican Turkish Party/United Forces (CTP/BG)
and Freedom and Reform Party (Free Party) Coalition Government
was approved by President Mehmet Ali Talat, yesterday (25
September).
President Mehmet Ali Talat presenting the letter of approval to
Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer, made recommendations to the
new government. The President stressing that the new coalition
government was formed at a very important period, recommended
that the public administration be seriously examined and within
this context the public reform be evaluated and implemented at
any cost. President Talat drawing attention to the fact that the
Turkish Cypriots’ struggle had turned into an existence
struggle, called the new government to be on the alert regarding
this issue.
Referring to the Cyprus issue, President Mehmet Ali Talat said
the recent speech delivered by Greek Cypriot leader Papadopoulos
at the UN General Assembly enlightened in which area the Turkish
Cypriots’ struggle would be intensified in the forthcoming days.
He added that Papadopoulos in his speech delivered at the UN
General Assembly strengthened his idea of ‘osmosis’
(assimilation of the Turkish Cypriots), which he put forward for
the first time in his last year’s speech at the UN.
President Talat pointing out that Papadopoulos had added new
ideas to the content of the term ‘osmosis’ and most important
out of these was that ‘he desired an administration, which would
respect the ethnic roots, cultural differences and political
equality of the two sides, only if these would not hamper the
workings of the Cyprus government and its institutions’.
Continuing President Talat said:
“In other words, for Papadopoulos, the most important function
of the state is the proper functioning of its institutions
without any interruption. Political equality, cultural
differences and being a Turkish Cypriot is not important at all.
This is basically the stance of Papadopoulos and this
demonstrates that he envisaged a solution in which the Turkish
Cypriots would not even have minority rights, because as its
well known, protection of cultural differences and ethnic
identity are at least minority rights. In face of such policy of
the Greek Cypriot administration envisaging a solution, which
would not even protect these rights, the Turkish Cypriot
people’s struggle has in fact turned into a struggle for
existence. Therefore, the government should be very careful and
on the alert regarding this issue. Especially, while Turkey has
reached to certain stages in its EU process, increase in these
kinds of tensions and conflicts on this issue is unavoidable.”
The new cabinet approved by the President, which is formed by 7
ministers from CTP/BG headed by Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer
and 3 ministers from Free Party is as follows:
Minister of Finance Ahmet Uzun, Minister of Interior Ozkan Murat,
Minister of Public Works and Transportation Salih Usar, Minister
of Health Esref Vaiz, Minister of Labour and Social Security
Sonay Adem, Minister of Agriculture Onder Sennaroglu, Minister
of Education and Culture Canan Oztoprak, Deputy Prime Minister
and Minister of Foreign Affairs Turgay Avcý, Minister of Economy
and Tourism Enver Ozturk, Minister of Environment and Natural
Resources Asým Vehbi.
Speaking before presenting the new cabinet’s list, Prime
Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer stated that they formed the new
government with the ambition of preserving the political
equality and bizonal structure of the Turkish Cypriot people
regarding the Cyprus issue and developing the country by
improving reform movements for economic, democratic and social
development of the people, in the light of the political will
put forward in 24 April referendum and the set of principles
agreed by President Mehmet Ali Talat and Papadopoulos and on the
basis of cooperation on joint interests and unity in the
policies to be pursued by President Mehmet Ali Talat.
The new coalition government, following its approval by
President Mehmet Ali Talat, was presented to the Parliament.
Government program will be read out to the Parliament on
Saturday (30 September). Debates on the government program will
start on 3 October. One day after the end of the debates on the
government program, the new government will be submitted to the
vote of confidence.
