PRESIDENT TALAT MEETS FINNISH FOREIGN MINISTER KANERVA

TALAT: “OUR PRIORITY AIM IS THE APPROVAL OF THE DIRECT TRADE REGULATION”

            President Talat, after completing his contacts in Sweden, where he went upon the invitation of Swedish Foreign Minister, yesterday (28 June) went to Finland in order to meet with Finnish Foreign Minister Ilkka Kanerva and carry out various other contacts.

            Speaking after the meeting, President Talat said his meeting with Kanerva, who recently took up his duty, was very fruitful. Reminding the intensive efforts spent by Finland during its EU Term Presidency for the approval of the Direct Trade Regulation, President Talat said as Finland was not holding the EU Term Presidency anymore; it was in a position to deal with the Cyprus issue in a broader sense.

            Talat explained that he conveyed the Turkish Cypriot side’s views with regard to the Cyprus issue and evaluated the Greek Cypriot side’s stance adopted in its relations with the EU.

            Pointing out that he also informed Kanerva on the 8 July process, Talat said they discussed the steps to be taken towards the solution of the Cyprus problem.

            Talat said he had once more reiterated the importance of lifting of the isolation and added:

“We explained that the lifting of the isolation is not our main aim, but it will facilitate the solution of the Cyprus problem and of course provide a better life for the Turkish Cypriot people.”

            Talat stressed that the Turkish Cypriot side’s priority aim was the approval of the Direct Trade Regulation. Drawing attention to the fact that it was not possible to receive the approval of the Greek Cypriot side for the implementation of the regulation, Talat said: “As recommended by the Commission, we stated that they should approve the Regulation by a qualified majority.”

            Explaining that they had also conveyed the demands of the Turkish Cypriot side on the issue of Bologna process, President Talat said Kanerva stated that the Turkish Cypriots should not get disappointed, because of the negative result regarding the process and added that if the TRNC universities made bi-lateral agreements with the leading universities in Europe, the problem could be solved.

            President Talat said: “Our universities are already doing this. However, our aim is to be included in the Bologna process, thus to have diploma equivalence with all the European universities in one go.”

            Stating that the aims of Turkish and Greek Cypriot sides were different from each other, Talat said:

“Our aim is the comprehensive solution of the Cyprus problem. Greek Cypriots’ aim is to get rid of the pressures exerted on them for the solution of the Cyprus problem, to shift the problem to the EU platform and if it could not succeed in this, to link Turkey’s EU membership to the solution of the Cyprus problem.”