STATEMENT BY PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON HASAN ERCAKICA

The most important item of the agenda of the statements made by Mr. Papadopoulos and Mr. Christofias, who are the most prominent candidates for the presidency elections that will be held in south Cyprus, is their views regarding the Cyprus problem and how they are planning to settle it. However, none of these statements include any elements that might encourage us for the period after February. Particularly the expectations that are being engendered concerning the 8 July Agreement and the comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem do not coincide with the truth at all.

The 8 July Agreement has concluded once again that, a settlement that would be reached for the Cyprus problem would be a bi zonal, bi communal federation based on political equality. The framework of these parameters has mostly been determined by the resolutions of the UN Security Council and the body of work produced until today.

Therefore, the fact that Mr. Papadopoulos, after all the time wasted, still insists on stressing that “the time should be determined carefully and necessary high level preparations should be done” and, the statements by the Greek Cypriot Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Erato K. Marcoullis claiming that “a new basis concerning a settlement” will be found next year are nothing more than efforts to render the long awaited “after February initiative” ineffective. It seems that according to the mentality Mr. Papadopoulos employs, he does not have the intention of abandoning the strategy of postponing a settlement. As long as this strategy is employed, it certainly will not be easy for the international initiatives to reach a timely and comprehensive settlement for the Cyprus problem.

The purpose of the initiative that is expected after February should be to reach an urgent and comprehensive settlement. The fact that a future settlement will be within the framework of the UN body of work has also been stated in the recent report of the UN Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki-moon. The efforts to search for a settlement within this framework are also a requirement of a timely search for a settlement.

The wording and positions employed for the election campaign by AKEL Secretary General Mr. Dimitris Christofias, one of the candidates for the Greek Cypriot Presidency election, are aimed at rendering the after February initiative ineffective as well. The objectives Mr. Christofias puts forward regarding the settlement of the Cyprus problem and his call for the Turkish Cypriots inviting them to say a “resounding no” to Turkey are the indications that Mr. Christofias has not yet comprehended the Cyprus problem and these indications refrain us from bearing any hopes for the period after February.

The developments that took place within the EU last week have proved once again that the Greek Cypriot side continues to exploit its EU membership against the Turkish Cypriots.

Efforts have been spent to render the preplanned Brussels visit of the TRNC Prime Minister Mr. Ferdi Sabit Soyer ineffective. Besides, the Greek Cypriot side has strived to include the developments concerning the Cyprus problem in the EU Commission Conclusions as the way they want, in return of approving the opening of two chapters regarding the membership negotiations of Turkey.

The Greek Cypriot leader Mr. Tassos Papadopoulos is not only a committed defender of the osmosis policy but he also, personally, reveals that they exploit the EU membership. In his statement published in a Greek Cypriot daily last weekend, he said that they were decisive while they were conveying to their “partners in the EU” that it was impossible for the Greek Cypriot side to approve the opening of the two chapters regarding Turkey unless their demands are fulfilled. He also said that “evaluation of Turkey’s EU accession process” is part of their basic strategy.

This stance employed by the Greek Cypriot side last week is a clear indication of the mistake the EU made while it admitted a divided Cyprus as a member. It also proved once again that if the EU wishes to help the settlement of the Cyprus problem, they will have to find ways to handle the blackmailing of the Greek Cypriot side as soon as possible.

In fact, there is a way they can draw on to prove before the EU members that they are not an instrument in the hands of the Greek Cypriot side: Effective implementation of the Financial Aid Regulation and the adoption of Direct Trade Regulation…Provided that the EU member states wish to participate the development of peace and cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean, they should end the isolations imposed on the Turkish Cypriots and be decisive to implement the above mentioned actions as a first step to that end.

A new Landmine Clearance Agreement has been signed between the Turkish Cypriot Security Forces and the UNFICYP concerning the issue of landmine clearance in Cyprus.

The said Agreement has been signed and put into force by means of exchange of letters between the Commanders of the Security Forces Major General Mr. Mehmet Eröz and the UNFICYP Major General Mr. Rafael Jose Barni on 13 December 2007. This agreement, in principle, aims to broaden the landmine clearance agreement and to determine the principles of the cooperation of the two forces in clearing the mines.

Therefore, I would like to state that the news item titled “Landmine clearance is pushed back” and published in the Greek Cypriot press last week, claiming that the landmine clearance works have been “pushed back” since the Turkish Cypriot side wants the said agreement to be signed between the Turkish Cypriot Security Forces and the UNFICYP are baseless.

The works concerning the said agreement have been finalized during the days the UN Security Council resolution was being discussed. Therefore, it is quite clear why no reference has been made to this issue in the UN Security Forces resolution.