TALAT: “WE WILL BE PLEASED IF THE MEETING  HELPS US TO COME CLOSER TO THE COMPREHENSIVE  SETTLEMENT  GOAL”

President Mehmet Ali Talat has said that his meeting with the Greek Cypriot Leader Tasos Papadopulos, which is scheduled to take place on the 5th of September,  would satisfy the Turkish Cypriot side  if it  helped  to  reach a comprehensive settlement goal. President adding  that they expected to have a positive   result from the meeting said  however, the Greek Cypriot Leader had accepted to come to the meeting  because of the forthcoming elections in the south.

In an interview with the Anatolian News Agency, President Mehmet Ali Talat stating that they have not met with the Greek Cypriot Leader since one year,  expressed the need for aiming to make necessary arrangements in order to move forward to comprehensive negotiations with the participation of two leaders. Making it clear that he will not put any preconditions before the meeting, Mr Talat said, during the meeting, the two leaders will make decisions on how to fill the gaps once their final objective is defined.

President stressing that in the meeting the Greek Cypriot  stance was very importance and   in  February  2008, Presidential elections would take place in South Cyprus said “it might have been  because of this  reason that the meeting will take place, because since 2004,  I have  made several  invitations  for face to face meeting but I always received a negative response.”

President Talat and Greek Cypriot Leader  Tasos Papadopoulos  will meet on 5 September  at the UN Secretary General’s Cyprus Special Representative  Michael Moller’s  Residence in the UN Buffer Zone.

Meanwhile,  President Mehmet Ali Talat also commented on the Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister Kozaku  Markulli’s  recent statements.

President Talat  said: “Ms. Markulli’s statements were unethical, undiplomatic , and  completely related with domestic affairs. She made lots of imaginary  claims with regard to Turkey- TRNC relations, which up until now no other Greek Cypriot Official  has made”.

Reminding Markulli’s statement  regarding the existence of Turkish  Forces in North Cyprus  and her words to the effect that  “there was no need for an agreement in Cyprus and if the  Turkish Army withdraws  the Cyprus issue would have been solved” President Talat said: “Until the Cyprus issue is solved the  Turkish  Forces    will continue to be on the island as a necessity,  and the existence of the Turkish Forces can not  be  made a bargaining chip until reaching an agreement.”

Referring  to the  Greek Cypriot Administration’s (GCA) initiatives launched for exploration/extraction of oil and natural gas, in Eastern Mediterranean  Talat said  the Greek Cypriot Administration which is referred to as the Cyprus Republic is not a normal  sovereign state, therefore  the Greek Cypriot state  where Turkish Cypriots were not represented in its administration did not have the authority  to do this in the exclusive economic zone of the  island.

 

ORGANIZATION OF ISLAMIC CONFERENCE YOUTH FORUM  EVALUATES ITS MEETING IN TRNC
“UNJUST ISOLATION  NEGATIVELY AFFECTS INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT”

The Islamic Conference Youth Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation has stressed that the unjust international isolation imposed on the Turkish Cypriot People affects the intellectual development in the country negatively.

In a press statement organized  following the Forum’s Advisory Board meeting which took place in the TRNC between  18-21 of August under the  organization of the TRNC Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Youth Forum Secretariat pointed out  that organizing such international meetings in the TRNC was very important as the Turkish Cypriot People was suffering from international isolation which hampered its intellectual development.

The statement also said that a declaration will be published by the Islamic Conference Youth Forum in the coming days which will explain the works of the Forum carried out in the TRNC.

 

PRESIDENT OF THE ASSEMBLY OF ARAB TOURISM MINISTERS BANDR NIN FAHD AL FEHAID VISITED AVCI

The President of the Assembly of Arab Tourism Ministers- Bandr Nin Fahd Al Fehaid has arrived in the TRNC for a private visit.

According to the information obtained from the TRNC Deputy Prime Ministry and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Al Fehaid paid a courtesy visit to Foreign Minister Turgay Avci during which the two exchanged their views on improving relations between the TRNC and the Arabic countries, as well as on establishing contacts on the tourism sector.

Welcoming the President of the Assembly of Arab Tourism Ministers, Mr Avci stated that his Ministry will continue its works to improve relations with the Organization of the Islamic Conference and the Arabic countries.

 

FOREIGN MINISTER AVCI RECEIVED MEP RESRTARITS

According  to information received from the Deputy Prime Ministry and Ministry of Foreign Affairs , the Member of the European Parliament and the Committee on Culture and Education- Karin Resetarits was received by Foreign Minister Turgay Avci on 24 August.

During the one hour long meeting Avcý  conveyed Resetarits the Turkish Cypriot expectations  from the EU.  Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Turgay Avci has stated that the European Union has disappointed the expectations of the Turkish Cypriot People.

‘As a result of this, the Greek Cypriot Leader Tassos Papadopoulos avoids sitting at the negotiation table for a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem’ he said.

The two also exchanged views on the latest developments in Cyprus, before the forthcoming 5 September meeting between President Talat and the Greek Cypriot Leader  Tasos Papadopolous.