TALAT: “GREEK CYPRIOT SIDE’S EU MEMBERSHIP IS AN OBSTACLE TO REACHING A SETTLEMENT”

In a statement he made to the AB Haber, TRNC President Mehmet Ali Talat stated that the European Union has accepted the unilateral membership of south Cyprus, and made a divided island, which has territorial and political problems an EU member, by even violating its own values.

President Mehmet Ali Talat has stressed that the Greek Cypriot side’s EU membership was an obstacle to reaching a settlement and that fact that the only Greek Cypriots represent the island and its institutions in the EU and the UN was the main reason preventing a solution. He added that most of the EU member states are either unaware of the situation in Cyprus or did not want to be involved because of the solidarity amongst themselves.

President reminded that the leader of the Greek Cypriot Administration Tasos Papadopoulos has never accepted a solution plan within the United Nations parameters and added that everyone was waiting for the general elections to be completed in the south so that a new undertaking can take place on the Cyprus issue.

President Mehmet Ali Talat has reminded that the leader of the Greek Cypriot Administration Tasos Papadopoulos has never accepted a solution plan within the United Nations parameters and added that everyone was waiting for the general elections to be completed in the south so that a new undertaking can take place on the Cyprus issue.

Stating that during his visit to Azerbaijan he invited the Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliev to the TRNC but Greek Cypriots without losing anytime made initiatives by the UN Term Presidency and tried to prevent this visit.

Stressing that the Greek Cypriots by exerting pressure on the Cyprus issues were trying to force Turkey to sacrifice, President said that Greek Cypriots even prevented a visit of a school in Malta to the TRNC for a music festival.

President Talat also called upon the EU, to exert pressure on the Greek Cypriots who blocked the Financial Aid Regulation, by saying that “look your country is divided so you should spend effort to solve this problem, this situation is against the EU’s rules and principles.”

 

AVCI: “BEFORE LIFTING THE UNJUST ISOLATION ON TURKISH CYPRIOT PEOPLE, ANY INITIATIVE FOR SETTLING THE CYPRUS ISSUE WILL FAIL”

Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Turgay Avcý has stressed that the resolution of the United Nations Security Council turned a blind eye to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon’s latest report on Cyprus which had made important references to the international isolations of the Turkish Cypriot people.

He added that the Security Council in a situation which the Turkish Cypriots were not represented at once again submitted to the pressures of some countries like Russia which are acting as the speaker of the Greek Cypriot Administration

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Turgay Avcý issued a written statement on 15 September, where he pointed to the fact that the UN Security Council’s resolution is including some elements which are not reflecting the realities of the island correctly.

Noting that the introduction part of the resolution stated that 2008 provided an important window opportunity to make decisive progress towards finding a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem, he stressed the fact that such a call should directly be made to the Greek side.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Avcý said that the Greek Cypriot side should be encouraged effectively for the restart of the negotiations process.

 “Any peace initiative before lifting the unjust international isolation of the Turkish Cypriot people will fail” Mr. Avci said.

Referring to the call made in the resolution urging all parties to show flexibility and political will towards finding a solution and to implement the 8th July agreement, he said the Turkish side had shown all necessary flexibilities for achieving progress on the 8 July process.

Avcý also stated that the Turkish Cypriot side had done everything necessary for the opening of the Lokmaci gate as similar to other check points which were opened before.

Also pointing to the fact that considering Akyar, which is one of the districts of the TRNC, as a region at the buffer zone and mentioning it like this at the resolutions continually was unacceptable, Foreign Minister Avcý said any operations at Akyar was just under the responsibility of the TRNC authorities.