PRESIDENT TALAT MEETS SWEEDISH FOREIGN MINISTER BILDT

            President Mehmet Ali Talat, who is currently in Sweden upon the invitation of Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, yesterday (26 June) met with Bildt.

            President Talat speaking after the meeting stated that they had discussed the issue of the lifting of the isolations and the Turkish Cypriots’ expectations from the EU as well as many other issues.

“Sweden, has a very positive stance and constructive policy towards the Turkish Cypriots and we once more had the opportunity to explain our point of view with regard to the Geek Cypriot side’s views put forward continuously in the various international platforms”, said President Talat. He added that while the Greek Cypriot side could interpret and evaluate every issue, Turkish Cypriot side could rarely find such opportunities and said: “They heard many things which they did not know before. We explained every single detail of the negative effects of the isolation imposed on us”. 

            Responding to questions after the meeting, Bildt for his part pointed out that they had taken up the Cyprus issue and that the issue was also the problem of the EU, adding that the issues of Gambari process, Turkey’s EU membership and various steps to be taken in the future were amongst the issues discussed.

            Responding to a question, Bildt said the discussions regarding the Direct Trade Regulations were long-term discussions and explained that the issue was taken up within the EU at the beginning of this year and consensus was reached towards achieving progress on this issue. Bildt said although this had not been realized yet, he hoped that progress would be achieved on this issue.

            Bildt said he could suggest President Talat to use all means for achieving progress in every process without any loss of time. Continuing, Bildt said: “Technical difficulties faced in Gambari process, which is still continuing, should be overcome”.

            President Talat prior to his meeting with Bildt gave a conference at The Swedish International Relations Institute. In his speech, Talat drew attention to the fact that Turkish Cypriots were still at the point of solving the Cyprus problem, reuniting the island and becoming a member of the EU.

            Stating that a very important opportunity was missed with regard to a settlement and EU membership of a united Cyprus as a result of the rejection of the Annan plan by Greek Cypriot leader Papadopoulos, Talat stressed that Greek Cypriots did not only rejected the plan, but the solution itself. He added that although three years had passed since the referendum, no steps had been taken towards a solution.

            President Talat pointed out that the Turkish Cypriots’ disappointment following the referendum had turned into distrust and to get over this would be more difficult than solving the Cyprus problem.

            Stressing that the isolation should be lifted President Talat said:

“Lifting of the isolations could not take the place of a solution. Solution is sharing the island under equal conditions. Turkish Cypriots have never desired the Taiwan model. Because, we are one of the equal sides in Cyprus. We want the isolation to be lifted in order to have better life standards until a solution has been achieved”.

            President Talat reminded that the EU, who promised after the referendum to lift the isolation and prepared the Direct Trade Regulation together with the Financial Aid Regulation, could not approve it, although two years had passed, because of Greek Cypriots’ pressures.

            Stating that Greek Cypriots were exploiting their EU membership, Talat said they had many times warned the EU about the problems to be aroused because of South Cyprus’ unilateral EU membership.

            Referring to the 8 July process, President Talat pointed out the Greek Cypriot administration’s intransigent stance, which even refrained from engaging in any cooperation on simplest issues with the Turkish Cypriot side, had also blocked this process. He added that however on the other hand the Turkish Cypriot side was doing its best to achieve progress in this process.

            Responding to a question, Talat said the ground to solve the Cyprus problem was the UN. Explaining that the EU, where the Turkish Cypriots were not represented and Greek Cypriots were members, did not have the capability to solve the Cyprus issue.

            Within the framework of his contacts, President will go to Finland upon the invitation of Finnish Foreign Minister Ýlkka Kanerva.

ERCAKICA: “GREEK CYPRIOT POLICY IS CAUSING INSTABILITY IN EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN”

            Following is the press statement by Presidential Spokesman Hasan Ercakica issued yesterday (26 June):

            “The aim of the Greek Cypriot foreign policy and the recent activities that have been carried out in line with it do not serve the settlement of the Cyprus problem but instability in the Eastern Mediterranean. The Greek Cypriot side also aims to assume the role of Turkey in the region but these efforts can only lead to the rise of tension in the region. The Greek Cypriot side has been trying to sustain this position via their membership to the EU which is the biggest peace project of Europe.

            The said risk has been indicated in the statement issued after the 20 June 2007 dated meeting of the Turkish National Security Council as well and the fact that South Cyprus persists in acting as an element of instability via the activities it has undertook in Eastern Mediterranean is underlined.

            There is not a single day that the Greek Cypriot side does not take a new step that will lead to disputes and does not try to involve the Turkish Cypriots in it along with Turkey. Prospecting for oil in Eastern Mediterranean or creating problems regarding the issues such as sharing of the airspace of the region can be listed as some of the examples to such efforts of the Greek Cypriot side.

            The Greek Cypriot Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr.Lillikas states openly that the real aim of their policies is to become an alternative to Turkey in Eastern Mediterranean and in the Middle East, and that the target of all the steps they take is Turkey. We would like to remind you once again that, in a conference held in Brussels on 22 January 2007, Mr. Lillikas said “The accession of Cyprus to the EU, has contributed to the political, economic and military expansion of the Union towards the Eastern Mediterranean and Cyprus has become a bridge to the Middle East. Furthermore the strategic importance of Cyprus as an alternative, in relation to Turkey, access to this area is becoming more and more
apparent”.

            It is evident that by employing such an approach, the Greek Cypriot side aims to weaken Turkey by estranging it from global labor division and as a result, possess whole of the island. It also clear that, to that end, it envisages provoking conflicts and even “war of religions” in our region.

            In order to fully understand the extent of dangerous results such games can lead to, one should only read the history of the Crusades.

            The Greek Cypriot leadership should be aware of such dangers and risks as much as we are.

            The fact that Turkish National Security Council, the authority where the political positions of Turkey is discussed at the highest level, has reiterated its support for “establishing a new common state on the basis of political equality and bi-zonality” and has stated that “the positive approach towards reaching a just, lasting and comprehensive settlement under the umbrella of the UN will be sustained” completely overlaps with the position of the Turkish Cypriot side and reveals the side who employs a negative stance for the Cyprus problem and sees no harm in risking the stability in the region.