PRESIDENT TALAT RETURNED TO THE TRNC

President Mehmet Ali Talat who was in Turkey upon the invitation of the Denizli Industrialists and Businessmen Association (DESIAD), returned to the TRNC.

President Talat addressing to Industrialists and Businessmen in a panel held in Turkish town Denizli, entitled ‘A new process in North Cyprus: Evaluations”gave information on the latest developments in Cyprus.

Explaining that every one has focused on the presidential elections in South Cyprus which will be carried out in February 2008, Talat said the chances for finding a solution to the Cyprus problem were diminishing day by day.

Pointing out that the two peoples in Cyprus were more diverged and discontented from each other than they were in 2004, President said: “There is a division in minds and brains. Division is seriously spreading from political elite to the people. If this situation continues in 2008, division will become more permanent. This fact is also acknowledged by the world. Thus, these are the last chances in Cyprus. In 2008, the last initiatives will be made in order to find a solution to the Cyprus problem within the framework of the UN parameters. Everyone will have to bear the consequences of this.”

Giving detailed information on the preparation and negotiation processes of the Annan plan, President Talat said although the Turkish Cypriot side voted in favor of the Annan plan in the April 2004 referenda, the Greek Cypriot side rejected it, but it was unjustly admitted to the European Union.

Stating that the Greek Cypriot side had deceived the world for many years until 2004 that it was the Turkish Cypriot side which was against the solution of the Cyprus problem, Talat said however the Turkish Cypriot side had proved to the world that they were in favor of peace and a solution in the 2004 referenda.

President Talat said the referendum was an important turning point in the island’s political history, in terms of showing to the world that the Turkish Cypriot side desired a solution.

Talat referring to the positive developments following the April 2004 referenda said Turkish Cypriot people has owned a much moral position within the international community.

President said the Turkish Cypriot side was no longer the party responsible for the non-solution on the island but complained that the European Union had failed to honor its promises to the Turkish Cypriot people following the 2004 referendum.

Drawing attention to the calls towards ending the Turkish Cypriots’ isolation made by both former Secretary General Kofi Annan and the new Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon in his latest report presented to the UN Security Council, Talat said lifting of the isolation was inevitable.

Continuing, President Talat said:

“The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon in his latest report (period between July-December 2007) says that ‘the year 2008 will be important’. Therefore, we can expect the UN to take a new initiative after the presidential elections in South Cyprus. We are getting prepared for that day. By preserving our rightful policy, we are preparing the necessary policies which will protect the interests of both Turkish Cypriot people and Turkey. There isn’t any certain answer whether a negotiation process will start or not, because this depends on the Greek Cypriot side’s attitude”.

Within the framework of his contacts, President Talat also gave a conference at a panel entitled “The Cyprus Agenda”, organized by Turkish Young Businessmen Confederation (TUGIK) in Turkish town Usak.

 

AVCI: “IT IS INTERNATIONAL COMMUITIY’S AND PARTICULARLY EU’S RESPONSIBILITY TO EASE UNJUST ISOLATION ON TURKISH CYPRIOTS”

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Turgay Avcý returned to the TRNC on Friday night (7 December) after completing his contacts in Brussels.

Foreign Minister Avcý organized a joint press conference in Brussels with Italian MEPs, who recently received TRNC citizenship on Friday (7 December).

During the press conference, the Foreign Minister stressed that to lift the international isolation of the Turkish Cypriot People was the responsibility of the international community and particularly the EU.

According to the information received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in the press conference Avcý explained that the Cyprus problem had not emerged all of a sudden in 1974, and the Peace Operation in 1974 was carried out in response to Greek Cypriots initiatives to annex the island to Greece.

Foreign Minister Avcý summarizing the events that lead to the destruction of the Cyprus Republic, which was jointly established by Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots in 1960, reminded that the 1974 Peace Operation was carried out as the result of the coup d-etat staged by Greek Cypriots to accelerate the annexation process of the island to Greece.

Foreign Minister Avcý stating that the Cyprus issue was in UN’s agenda for almost 40 years, said solution could not be found to Cyprus issue, because the Greek Cypriots were strictly refusing to engage in any kind of power sharing with their former partners.

Foreign Minister Turgay Avcý warned that no one should expect a solution in Cyprus as long as the Greek Cypriot Administration was being treated as the `only legitimate` government of the island. He added that, if human rights violations in Cyprus were to be mentioned the main human rights violation is the one made against the Turkish Cypriots.

Underlining that the lifting of the isolation on Turkish Cypriots would pressurize the Greek Cypriot side to adopt a more constructive approach towards the solution of the Cyprus issue, Avcý said a comprehensive agreement was only possible, if the Greek Cypriots accept a bi-communal, bi-zonal solution model under the UN parameters and on the basis political equality. 

Stressing that the Turkish  Cypriots were still  determined to  find a comprehensive  settlement  to the  Cyprus issue  as they were in April  2004 referenda, Avcý said the Turkish side’s calls for the establishment of the technical committees that would  lead to the start of negotiations and easing the day-to-day difficulties faced by Turkish and Greek Cypriots, resulted in the 8 July process, which   however,  were clogged by Greek Cypriots delaying tactics

Foreign Minister Avcý said the responsibility to solve this impasse and help Turkish Cypriots rested with the EU, because this mistake was made by the EU when it accepted the Greek Cypriot side as a full EU member before reaching a settlement.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Avcý stating that the Greek Cypriot side was expecting the Turkish Cypriots to give in and surrender in time, said the Greek Cypriot  leadership’s understanding of any kind of a solution was osmosis. Avcý reminded that the Greek Cypriot leader Papadopoulos   expressed this aim also at the UN General Assembly during its 60^th session.

Foreign Minister Avcý called on EU member countries to pay heed to the call made by the UN Secretary General in his latest Cyprus report for the removal of the international isolation of the Turkish Cypriot people. Avcý, also asked EU, its member states and organs to hold contacts at every level with Turkish Cypriots, to approve Direct Trade Regulation without delay, to help TRNC universities to enter into the Bologna process, to approve   Turkish Cypriot MPs to be represented in the European Parliament and accept Turkish as one of the official languages of the EU.

 

FOREIGN MINISTER AVCI RESPONDS TO MATSAKIS’ STATEMENTS

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Turgay Avcý responded to MEP Matsakis’ ‘incriminatory statements’ made during a conference at the European Parliament.

According to the statement issued by the Press Office of the TRNC Deputy Prime Ministry and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Minister Avcý, speaking following the speech of Matsakis at a conference in the European Parliament in Brussels, stated that there existed two equal peoples in Cyprus and the relations between them should be on the basis of equality and power sharing.

After explaining the history of the Cyprus problem, Foreign Minister Avcý responded to Matsakis’ statements regarding the Annan plan and said if the Annan plan was accepted by the Greek Cypriots, today there wouldn’t be those “problems” which Matsakis referred to.

Also responding to the words of Matsakis on the issues of immovable property, power sharing, territory and guarantee, Avcý said the Annan plan had envisaged acceptable solutions to the property issue but the chance to solve this problem was lost since the Greek Cypriots rejected the plan.

Avcý explained that property issue was not only a problem for the Greek Cypriot people but also for the Turkish Cypriot people who, just like Greek Cypriots, had to leave their immovable property in South Cyprus.

Avcý reminding that the Annan plan had also envisaged solutions on the issue of guarantee, said if the Greek Cypriots accepted the plan, the presence of Turkish troops in the island, would not any longer be a controversial subject for the Greek Cypriot side 

“Annan plan included great concessions for both sides. For the sake of a peaceful solution, we took courage and accepted the plan”, said Minister Avcý adding that the Turkish Cypriots still desired a solution in Cyprus and were ready to start comprehensive settlement negotiations.

 

MINISTER USAR: “GERMAN AND TURKISH CYPRIOT SOCIAL DEMOCRATS SHOULD ACT IN UNITY FOR THE SOLUTION OF THE CYPRUS PROBLEM”

Minister of Public Works and Communications Salih Usar who was in German State of Hamburg for a series of contacts returned to the TRNC on Friday (7 December).

Within the framework of his contacts in Germany, Minister Usar met with the Economy Minister of the State of Hamburg Gunter Ponz, the SDP Deputy for the State of Hamburg and President of the Turkish-German Inter-parliamentary Friendship Group Johannes Kahrs, Hamburg Municipal Council member Murat Gozay as well as with some investors.

Speaking during his meeting with Johannes Kahrs, Usar stated that German social democrats and Turkish Cypriot social democrats should act in unity for the solution of the Cyprus problem and said: “Turkish Cypriots are continuously spending effort for the reunification of our island under a federal system”.

For his part, Johannes Kahrs pointed out that they supported the settlement efforts of Turkish Cypriots in the island as well as Turkey’s EU membership.

Reminding that the EU had promised and declared that the isolation imposed on the Turkish Cypriots would be lifted, Usar said: “The EU by not keeping its promises have created distrust amongst the Turkish Cypriots. While the trust of Turkish Cypriots towards the EU was 60% in 2004, it has decreased to 50%.

I believe that Germany which is the biggest and most influential country in the EU could do something on this issue. Germany should use its influence for preventing the further increase of this distrust.”

Usar stated that solution is possible in 2008 if the two sides spend efforts, saying that Turkish Cypriots had done their utmost for a federal solution, but it was Greek Cypriot leader Papadopoulos who did not want to come to the negotiation table.

Usar said they expected the UN, the EU, Germany and all the related parties to spend effort for the start of negotiations for reaching a settlement in Cyprus, right after the presidential elections in South Cyprus in January 2008 and expressed belief that SDP would do what’s necessary for this.

Stressing that eliminating the economic gap between the two sides in the island would surely help a possible solution to last longer, Usar said if Germany invests in and gives economic aid to North Cyprus for increasing the development of the Turkish Cypriot people’s economy, Turkish Cypriot side would be able to reach the same economic level as the Greek Cypriot side.