Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer stressed that the defense cooperation agreement between the Greek Cypriot side and France was totally unacceptable. Pointing out that the said agreement was contrary to 1960 Treaty of Establishment, Treaty of Guarantee and all the realities in the island, Prime Minister Soyer said the Turkish Cypriot side would carry out a determined struggle on this issue.

“We will continue to struggle against all matters aroused as a result of this dominating attitude with our democratic values and in accordance with international law, and politics”, Prime Minister Soyer said.

Soyer stressed that while struggling against the dominating attitude, the Turkish Cypriot side should have powerful economy and institutions.

Soyer explaining that South Cyprus with such attitude was now trying to register hellim cheese, which has been one of the main food products of the island for centuries, as “halloumi”, stated that the Turkish Cypriot side was continuing its struggle against this issue with wisdom, common sense, determination and in line with Europe’s fundamental human values.

Soyer pointed to the fact that those who were trying to register hellim as “halloumi” should be reminded that the Cyprus Republic, which they usurped, was a bi-communal Republic and according to its constitution, Turkish language was one of the two mother languages.

Pointing out that this initiative of the Greek Cypriot side was similar to the changing of the names in Bulgaria in the past, Soyer said South Cyprus with this initiative put forward its stance which was against the EU principles.

TRNC Presidency’s Under-Secretary Rasit Pertev stated that the Greek Cypriot administration submitted a proposal to the Turkish Cypriot side through the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative to Cyprus Michael Moller. Pertev explained that however this proposal was one of the thousands of proposals submitted by the two sides to each other within Gambari process and not actually new.

Pointing to the fact that during Gambari process, such proposals were not submitted in front of the press, Rasit Pertev said it was strange that this time the Greek Cypriot side announced the proposal to the press before conveying it to the Turkish Cypriot side. Pertev added that normally the one who makes the proposal announces this after the proposal has been handed over to the other.

Pertev stated that after evaluating the proposal they would make counter proposals.

Explaining that the reciprocal proposals have been continuing for sometime, Pertev said: “The two sides have been in contact with each other regarding various daily issues. However, we have not achieved any progress even on criminal or environmental issues in one year. Both sides in the island, which is referred to be a European territory and who consider themselves as being modern could not succeed to cooperate even on the simplest subjects. “

Presidential Spokesman Mr. Hasan Ercakica said that Turkish Cypriot side is committed to the unification of Cyprus and the Turkish Cypriot people are undertaking their share of the responsibility for this objective.

At the weekly press conference held by the Presidential Spokesman Mr. Hasan Ercakica, it has been pointed out that the Greek Cypriot side has recently been reiterating the rhetoric that every decision that is to be reached concerning the Cyprus Issue or life in Cyprus “must serve to the unification of Cyprus”. Mr. Ercakica said “This rhetoric is being used not only against the efforts to end the isolations imposed on Northern Cyprus but also against the efforts to prevent the registry of “Hellim” as a Greek Cypriot product.

Spokesman Ercakica also said that maintaining the isolation of Northern Cyprus, exploiting the facilities of the EU against the Turkish Cypriots and obstructing the efforts of the Turkish Cypriots to develop multidimensional relations with the world cannot be based on the grounds of “unification of Cyprus”.

Saying that “This rhetoric employed by the Greek Cypriot side is nothing more than an effort to distort the realities regarding the Cyprus Issue” Spokesman Ercakica added that Turkish Cypriot side is very well aware of this and the foreign diplomats should be aware of it as well.