PRESIDENT TALAT: “CYPRUS PROBLEM WILL BE TAKEN UP DIFFERENTLY IN THE NEW TERM”

President Mehmet Ali Talat stated that in the new period the Cyprus problem would be taken up differently from the Annan plan and there would a hard bargaining.

Speaking during the ceremony for the 33^rd anniversary of the liberation of Famagusta, President Talat said the Annan plan had been negotiated within a limited time period because of EU scheduling and there couldn’t be a bargaining on it. He added that the sides used to convey their positions to the mediator, but this time the situation would be different.

Talat explained that there would be real bargaining in the new period and perhaps the sides would not convey their views to the mediator.

Drawing attention to the fact that the Turkish Cypriot side should act calmly to have a good bargaining capacity, Talat added that a strong economy would increase the bargaining power.

Meanwhile, a copy of the letter of Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos requesting the negotiations to start immediately, which was sent in response to President Talat’s letter, to UN’s Special Representative to Cyprus Michael Moller, was delivered to the TRNC Presidency yesterday (15 August). Papadopoulos’ letter was delivered to the Turkish Cypriot side through Moller.

 

FOREIGN MINISTER AVCI: “NEITHER TRNC NOR TURKEY WOULD GIVE CONCESSIONS ON OIL EXPLORATION ISSUE”

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Turgay Avcý responding to questions of the Anatolian News Agency (AA) concerning the issue of oil crisis said neither Turkey nor the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus will make any concessions on oil and natural gas in the eastern Mediterranean.

Pointing out that the reason behind Greek Cypriot administration’s initiative to explore oil in the Eastern Mediterranean was the belief that ‘Cyprus is Greek and Turkish Cypriots are a minority’, Avcý stressed that the oil crisis was part of this belief. Avcý added that as well as Greek Cypriots, Cyprus belonged to Turkish Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots rights’ could not be denied.

Reminding that besides TRNC, Turkey also had regional rights in Eastern Mediterranean Avcý said: “When the oil crisis first emerged, during the meeting with Turkish Foreign Ministry officials, it became very much clear that neither Turkey nor the TRNC would give concessions on the issue”.

Pointing out that they didn’t want the oil crisis to escalate and cause a conflict in the region which would threaten the stability, Avcý referred to the forthcoming presidential elections in South Cyprus and said: “Papadopoulos aims to create an atmosphere of crisis and gain some benefits out of it. Thus he wants to use the oil crisis as a domestic policy for the forthcoming elections. We are not interested with Papadopoulos’ tactics, but we don’t desire to be dragged into a conflict and will not give up TRNC’s rights.”

Avcý expressed belief that international corporations will not support the one sided approach of Greek Cypriots as this will hinder regional peace.

Reminding that the Leader of the Greek Cypriot administration Tassos Papadopulos is not new in politics, the Minister Avcý said for this reason the Turkish Cypriot side is hopeless about the solution of the Cyprus problem.

Avcý also stated that the Greek Cypriot administration should give up the idea that the Turkish Cypriot side would wait on the Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos for the solution of the Cyprus problem, on the contrary would continue with its investments and Turkey would also continue to increase its economic support to Turkish Cypriots.

 

TASKENT MARTYRS COMMEMORATED

Taskent (Dohni) martyrs who were massacred 33 years ago remembered with a memorial ceremony at the Taskent Martyrs Cemetery yesterday (15 August).

Presidential Undersecretary Rasit Pertev, Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Turgay Avcý were among those who attended the ceremony.

Speaking during the ceremony, Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer said that they were there to remember those people who lost their lives during a genocide carried out 33 years ago. He added: “In national struggles people even though they don’t prefer to, are forced to enter a war in order to protect and preserve their national existence and identities and as result of these wars many people lose their lives.”

Explaining that events experienced in Taskent, Terazi and Ayvasil are examples of fascist thoughts leading to a genocide as a result of Greek Cypriots’ Enosis aims between 1963-74, Prime Minister Soyer said there was no difference between genocides that took place in Yugoslavia in the past and the attacks made against Turkish Cypriots in 1964.

Continuing Prime Minister Soyer noted that strengthening the democratic identity and establishing a common economic and democratic unity are the only ways to struggle against fascist thoughts.

Prime Minister Soyer said that the determination of the fate of the martyrs who were killed in 1964 meant that the domineering mentality of the Greek Cypriot side which claims that the Cyprus problem begun in 1974 has collapsed.

 

OIC YOUTH FORUM INTERNATIONAL MEETING WOULD BE HELD IN THE TRNC

The TRNC Foreign Ministry has announced that the Advisory Board Meeting of the Islamic Conference Youth Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation will take place in the TRNC between 18-21 August.

In a statement issued by the Deputy Prime Ministry and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it is stated that the Islamic Conference Youth Forum, which operates as a department of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), has decided to hold its international meeting in the TRNC, following the initiatives taken by the Foreign Ministry and Youth Department affiliated to the Prime Ministry.

During the meeting which would start with the opening speech by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Turgay Avcý, the members of the advisory board will discuss articles on “Youth initiative for Civilizations Alliance”

On the 19th of August the cost of the studies to be carried out for the “Youth initiative for Civilizations Alliance” would be taken up and the meeting would end with a final communiqué to be approved

Representatives from the Islamic Conference Youth Forum, the United Nations Development Program, the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, International Development Organization, parliamentarians from the Islamic countries and a delegation of 25 people from the Islamic Conference Youth Forum Secretariat are among those expected to attend the meeting.

According to the statement of the Foreign Ministry primary goals of the Islamic Conference Youth Forum are to maintain and strengthen the status and interests of the OIC member countries on the international platform, form an international centre for the world youth based on knowledge and experience, and to enable the youth in the OIC member countries to maintain their policies in the most constructive and creative way.

The statement said in light of the intensive contacts carried out by the Foreign Ministry by the OIC Secretariat, its member states and institutions, a significant improvement was achieved in relations with the OIC and the fact that the international advisory board meeting of the youth forum would take place in the TRNC was an example to this.