President Mehmet Ali Talat responding to the questions of Cyprus Turkish News Agency (TAK) on the second anniversary of his Presidency stated that as a result of the economic progress and the developments regarding the isolations and the relations with the world the urgency of the Turkish Cypriots’ need for a solution was not at the same level as it was three years ago. President Talat said: “This situation gives us more reasonable, more detailed and better bargaining opportunities in our solution policy”.

Pointing out that there were no serious difficulties regarding a solution, President Talat said:

“When it is compared with three years ago, there are no longer great pressures on the Turkish Cypriot people for reaching an urgent solution. Because the economy is progressing, the positive change in the world’s approach towards the Turkish Cypriots and the steps taken for the lifting of the isolation have eased the extreme urgency for a solution to the Cyprus problem.”

Stating that it was more reasonable to discuss the conditions for achieving a solution, Talat said: “My words should not be understood as there is no longer need for a solution. Of course, we desire an urgent solution, but we are under no immediate pressure to make any concessions in order to reach a solution”, adding that this would help the Turkish Cypriot side to strengthen its bargaining position on the Cyprus issue.

Drawing attention to the fact that although the Turkish Cypriots desired a solution, the Greek Cypriot side was pursuing a policy of linking the Cyprus problem with Turkey’s EU process, Talat said: “It is hard to obtain a result from the 8 July process. Any action by the international community on this issue is related with Turkey’s EU process, therefore the solution is also based on this process”.

Referring to 8 July process, President Talat said:

“The Greek Cypriot side is using this process to gain time. It is difficult to obtain a result. But we are extremely sincere. We are ready to make all kind of studies, but as long as the Greek Cypriot side’s attempt to win more concessions on the Cyprus issue by pressurizing Turkey in its EU bid, it is difficult to get a result”.

President Talat said that the recognition perspective for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus could only come up on the agenda if the partition of the island seemed permanent.

Stressing that a solution in Cyprus was related to Turkey’s EU bid as a result of the Greek Cypriot side’s stance, Talat said: “The Cyprus problem will be shaped according to Turkey’s EU process. For the international community to take an action is related with Turkey’s EU membership... Either “unification” or in case of losing all hopes for unification, “recognition” could come onto the agenda. They cannot leave the Turkish Cypriots in uncertainty forever”.

The case opened by 78 Turkish Cypriots in South Cyprus Supreme Court demanding their “electoral rights” stemming from the Constitution of 1960 Cyprus Republic was dismissed.

According to the Court’s ruling, which invoked the provisions of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR); ‘as long as the Turkish Cypriots do not participate in the organs of Cyprus Republic and the Cyprus problem continues, it is not possible for them to use vote for these organs’.

The court ruling, which is 19 pages long, was given in written to the plaintiff, without being read out in the court, by the 13 people Greek Cypriot High Court members.

Ali Erel, who opened the case together with Mustafa Damdelen, in the name of 78 people evaluating the verdict, which was briefly translated into Turkish following the court, announced that the law procedure in Cyprus was completed and that they would then apply to the European Court of Human Rights. Stating that the decision was based on the “Doctrine of Necessity” and that, they more or less received the answer they were waiting Erel said “it is understood that South Cyprus would like the Cyprus Republic to function with its present structure where the Turkish Cypriots do not exist.”

Stating that, at the point reached there is no chance of appeal, because there is no upper court or authority, than the Greek Cypriot High Court in South Cyprus, Ali Erel said the Greek Cypriot Court’s behaviour, which just said that their case was dismissed and handle them the verdict in Greek, was very unpleasant and unacceptable. Erel added that this behavior of the court was in contradiction with its previous decisions and hoped that since Turkish was one of the languages of European Court of Justice, works would be easier there.

78 Turkish Cypriot, whose application demanding their electoral rights stemming from the 1960 Constitution, was dismissed, had opened a case against “The Cyprus Republic” Government’s Interior Ministry and Attorney General’s office.

British Communication Workers Union (CWU) Executive Committee gave support to the Embargoed Association, functioning in the UK, for the lifting of the embargoes imposed on the TRNC.

According to the information received from the CWU representatives, it was stated that their members would participate to the activities of the Embargoed Association, towards the lifting of the unjust embargoes on Turkish Cypriot people.

The international representative of the Union, which has around 250 thousand members, John Baldwin, said: “the CWU is very pleased for giving support to the “Embargoed”, and the Turkish Cypriots have done nothing to deserve the 40 years long international discrimination. We hope our support will help the association to create a public awareness on the subject, which is also in line with our union’s international solidarity mission”.