PRIME MINISTER SOYER: “EU SHOULD CLARIFY ITS STANCE TOWARDS DIRECT TRADE REGULATION”

TRNC Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer, who is having contacts with the EU and European Parliament officials in Brussels evaluating his meetings, asked for how long the EU would continue to bow to the Greek Cypriot blackmail and victimize the Turkish Cypriots. Prime Minister Soyer stressed that the EU should clarify its stance towards the Direct Trade Regulation.

Prime Minister Soyer said during his meetings with the EU officials he asked the EU officials to clarify their stance towards the Direct Trade Regulation. He added “if the Regulation was not implemented because of the Greek Cypriots’ prevention, the EU should say this openly and should not drag out this affair.”

Prime Minister Soyer also said that during his meetings he stressed that the Turkish Cypriot people were devoted to the EU principles and would like to take their place within the EU with their democratic identity however, current situation was against to EU principles.

Stating that South Cyprus has became an EU member before the Cyprus issue was solved, and the Greek Cypriots were exploiting this situation, Prime Minister asked for how long the EU would bow to this blackmail and victimize Turkish Cypriots.

Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer has reiterated the Turkish Cypriot People’s willingness to bring about a solution to the Cyprus problem by the end of 2008, calling on the European Union and the United Nations to support the efforts aimed at realizing this objective.

During his meetings with EU officials, Prime Minister Soyer also underlined that no progress has yet been achieved in one way or the other towards settling the Cyprus problem.

He reminded EU officials that both the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot Communities expressed their will to become part of Europe during 1960s, and said that the Europe is still an objective for the Turkish Cypriot people.

Mr Soyer said that the EU officials promised to do their best to help bring about a solution to the Cyprus problem in 2008.

`We have sought the support of both the European Union and the United Nations to reach this target` he said.

 

TRNC’S ROMA REPRESENTATIVE OPENED

In a ceremony organized yesterday(18 December, 2007) TRNC’s Roma Representative was opened. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Turgay Avcý and Italian MP Maurizyo Turko jointly opened the Office. Foreign Minister Avcý during the opening ceremony stressed that the office would contribute to promoting activities on trade, culture, tourism and education.

In the opening ceremony, there were also Turkish Ambassador to Rome Ugur Ziyal, Senator De Angelis, Former Deputy Prime Minister, and Former President of Sate of Roma Santarelli, TRNC’s Honorary Representative Prof. Augusto Sinagra, Former Minister and Member of National Alliance Party Marco Alemeno’s Representative Bruno Lagana, Italian Turkish Friendship Union Co-President Karmelo Massina and Turkish people living in Italy.

 

Minister of Foreign Affairs Turgay Avcý speaking during the opening ceremony, stated that the Office would be an important step towards further improving existing relations with Italy and the Italian people.

Stressing that the office would contribute to promoting activities on trade, culture, tourism and education, Avcý also called upon the Italian government to contribute to efforts for the lifting of the existing isolation on the Turkish Cypriot people.

Pointing out that the Greek Cypriot administration was trying its best to prevent Turkish Cypriots to be represented in other countries and in international organizations, Avcý said the Office would also help the Turkish Cypriot people to make their voice heard in the world.

Avcý giving information on TRNC’s Foreign Representative Offices said, the lifting of the 45 years long unjust isolation on the Turkish Cypriot people would also contribute to finding a settlement in the island.

Following the opening ceremony, Minister of Foreign Affairs Turgay Avcý signed the Special Book opened for the memory of the day, where he expressed his happiness and pleasure for the opening of the office and thanked to everyone who gave support and contributed to its establishment.

 

 

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESMAN HASAN ERCAKICA: “GREEK CYPRIOT SIDE IS EXPLOITING ITS EU MEMBERSHIP”

In a written statement on 18 December 2007 Presidential Spokesman Hasan Ercakýca evaluated the recent UN Resolution extending the mandate of the UNFCYP in Cyprus for another six months. In the statement Ercakýca said:

“The UN Security Council has adopted the resolution concerning the extension of the mandate of the UNFICYP. It has closely been followed by the public opinion that some elements in the report, which was prepared by the UN Secretary General as preparatory work for the said decision, were not included in the resolution as a result of the efforts of some Security Council members, particularly Russia.

Since the first moment Secretary-General’s report has been published, we have always been aware of the fact that the references to the isolation imposed on the TRNC would not be included in the Security Council resolution and we have refrained from uttering such an expectation.

However, the fact that the references concerning the isolation were not included in the resolution reduces neither its importance nor its validity. Although the isolation has not been included in any Security Council resolution adopted since 2004, the UN Secretary Generals have continued to include the issue in their reports. What should be noted is that the UN Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki-moon has explained the reasons why the isolation should be lifted in a way quite close to our understanding of the issue.

The fact that some issues, like the lifting of the isolation and the Turkish Cypriot side’s stresses are included in Secretary General’s report has brought a new dimension for our fight to that end. The Turkish Cypriot people will reach to their objectives through this fight. This is the reason why we deemed the Secretary General’s Report as a positive report.

In the mean time, even though the traditional negative attitude is maintained in the resolution adopted by the Security Council, the fact that it has been noted in paragraph 3 that “the upcoming year offers an important window of opportunity to make decisive progress” is a very significant achievement for those who work for a settlement. The Turkish Cypriot side’s proposal regarding the resumption of comprehensive settlement negotiations, after a short preparatory period, with the objective of reaching a settlement for the Cyprus problem by the end of 2008, is in full compliance with this and is still on the table.

Yet, it is clear that all the noise that has been caused in the Greek Cypriot side concerning the resolution, is election oriented. Making statements to deceive the public opinion by distorting the UN documents in line with their own policies is a method the Greek Cypriot side has recently employed so often. The fact that the Greek Cypriot leader Mr. Papadopoulos has even grasped the technical report of the UN Secretary General regarding next years budget and launched it as the proof of his claims that his policies have been adopted by the UN, is one of the examples we have recently witnessed.

Besides, it is “a very well known secret” that the Greek Cypriot side has achieved this by exploiting its EU membership and cooperating with Russia in return of “being the voice of Russia in the EU”. Naturally, it attracts everyone’s attention that the Greek Cypriot side exploits its EU membership in such a negative way. Yet, the responsibility of ending the exploitation of the EU membership in a way that does not coincide with the objectives of the EU lies with the EU members themselves.”