President Mehmet Ali Talat yesterday (27 February) went to Brussels in order to carry out official contacts. President Talat firstly met with the representatives of foreign news agencies and then got together with Turkish press members in a reception hosted in his honour by the TRNC Representative Office in Brussels.

President Talat today will meet with the EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn at 2:30 pm. Talat later will attend a dinner that will be hosted in his honour by the Transatlantic Institute. Ambassadors in Brussels, High-Level EU Commissioners and some press administrators will attend the dinner which will be closed to the press.

Following the completion of his contacts, the President will return to the TRNC tomorrow (1 March). Private Secretary of the TRNC Presidency Asým Akansoy is accompanying President Talat.

Presidential Spokesman Mr. Hasan Ercakica said that the only aim behind the unserious approach employed by the Greek Cypriot side towards the 8 July process is to “gain time”.

At the weekly press conference, Presidential Spokesman Mr.Hasan Ercakica has pointed out that all the details regarding the works that are being carried out for the promotion of the 8 July process have been published by a newspaper issued in South Cyprus and added that “There is no reason to doubt that this leak was initiated by the official Greek Cypriot authorities”.

Stating that the Greek Cypriot side is trying to create new problems and hinder the commencement of comprehensive settlement negotiations via the said leaking incident Spokesman Ercakica said “As it is well known by all the relevant parties, what determines the actions of the Greek Cypriot authorities is the approaching presidency election. Therefore, it is also possible to conclude that this leak was an election tactic by the Papadopoulos administration”.

Spokesman Ercakica underlined that whatever the purpose of Papadopoulos administration is, leaking the proposals submitted by the parties to the press is seriously hampering the principle of “confidentiality” which is the basis of reaching a conclusive process.

Reminding that the Turkish Cypriot side, who has nothing to hide from the public, has carefully been acting in line with the said principle of confidentiality since 8 July 2006, Spokesman Ercakica said that the Turkish Cypriot side prefers explaining its own position instead of leaking documents to the press.