Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Turgay Avcý within the framework of his contacts at the OIC (Organization of Islamic Conference) Foreign Ministers Meeting, met with the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Yemen and Malaysia.

In the afternoon, Avcý met with the Omani Deputy-Foreign Minister Badr Bin Hamad Al Busaidi. The opening of a TRNC representation office in the Omani capital Muscat was among the topics discussed between the two Foreign Ministers.

Later, Foreign Minister Avcý met with the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Emer Mehmeyedov and the ways of improving bilateral relations were discussed during the meeting. This was followed by a meeting with Malaysian Foreign Minister Dato Suri Syed Hamid Albak and later with Yemeni Foreign Minister Abubeker Algribi.

Meanwhile, in an inaugural speech, the OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu touched upon the Cyprus issue and called on the OIC member countries to be in solidarity with the Turkish Cypriot people.

Foreign Minister Avcý in a reception given in his honor in Pakistan, got together with Pakistani officials, foreign diplomats and businessmen.

Presidential Spokesman Hasan Ercakica has announced that the Greek Cypriot administration replied to the Turkish Cypriot side’s proposals with counter non-paper proposals.

Ercakica responding to a question during his weekly press conference held yesterday (15 May) said the Greek Cypriot side conveyed their reply to the proposals including the Turkish Cypriot side’s views about the working groups and technical committees through Greek Cypriot administration’s Director of Diplomatic Office Tassos Tzonis.

Ercakica stated that the reciprocal proposals will be discussed at today’s (16 May) meeting between Presidential Undersecretary Rasit Pertev and Greek Cypriot administration’s Director of Diplomatic Office Tassos Tzonis.

Continuing, Spokesman Ercakica said:

“It appears that the Archbishop of Greek Cypriot Orthodox Church Chrisostomos has mobilized all its resources to transform the Cyprus problem into “a religious problem”.

Forming committees under the pretext of protecting the religious sites in Northern Cyprus and organizing actions that will lead to problems between the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots, Archbishop Chrisostomos has announced last Sunday, like a commander in chief, that, he has assigned the bishops under his command “the mission of liberating their country which is under occupation”.

By organizing a ceremony last weekend to assign one of the bishops under his command the mission of “liberating Varosha which is under occupation” and inviting representatives from Istanbul Fener Greek Patriarchate as well, Greek Cypriot Archbishop has undersigned a very dangerous act of provocation. Exploiting Istanbul Fener Greek Patriarchate for his own purposes, he aimed at sending the message that he can intervene in the internal affairs of Turkey.

The unfortunate part the Cyprus Greek Orthodox Church has played in the history of Cyprus has not yet been forgotten. Instead of promoting the brotherhood of two peoples living on the island, the leaders of the Church have not only acted as the primary figures of the ENOSIS case and the actions organized to seize the whole of Cyprus, but also allowed the said actions lead to bloody conflicts in Cyprus.

The recent actions of Archbishop Chrisostomos also bear the risk of transforming the Cyprus problem which should be perceived as a political problem, into “a war of religions”.

Therefore, we would like to reiterate our prior warning that Cyprus problem is a political issue that can be undertaken and settled, provided that the leaders of two peoples meet and negotiate under the umbrella of the UN. As a result of all the negotiations that have been carried out for so many years, some specific parameters have been established. In order not to deteriorate the problem, the negotiations that are to be held should be carried out in accordance with these parameters. It has been documented in various ways that, a settlement that is to be reached within this frame of reference, will be a bi zonal, bi communal federal settlement that will be based on the political equality of Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot peoples.

The deeds of Archbishop Chrisostomos that are far from promoting brotherhood and the objective of living together to two peoples and which might also increase hostility between the Turkish and Greek Cypriots, include risks that might have negative consequences regarding the relationship between the two peoples in Cyprus.”

A large group of Turkish Cypriots who went to Brussels yesterday (15 May) under the organization of the Cyprus Turkish Chamber of Commerce staged a protest in front of the European Council calling upon the EU to approve the Direct Trade Regulation and lift the isolation imposed upon the Turkish Cypriot people.

The action was staged in Brussels’ Schumann Square, where folklore dance and modern dance shows were displayed; handouts were given out and the existence of the Turkish Cypriots in Cyprus was emphasized with banners carried.

Representatives from the Eastern Mediterranean University, Lefke European University, Girne American University and Cyprus International University requested the education embargoes on the TRNC to be lifted within the borders of the EU and stressed that the education was an international right.

Around 200 Turkish Cypriots, including businessmen and representatives of NGOs, universities and media organizations who went to Brussels, were carrying banners such as: “Turkish Cypriots are second-class Europeans”, “Make Turkish an official EU language”, “Shame on the EU”, “Education embargoes within the borders of the EU”, “Turkish Cypriot Universities and students are being excluded from the Bologna, Erasmus and Socrates Processes” and shouted slogans like; “We want our rights” and “Free Education”.

During the action, the EU’s Head of Unit Turkish Cypriot Taskforce Andrew Rasbash talked with the Turkish Cypriots and receive information about the action.

In a handout given out by the Cyprus Turkish Chamber of Commerce, entitled; “Lift the Isolation of the Turkish Cypriots Immediately” it was stressed that the Turkish Cypriot people demonstrated their determination for a solution and a united Cyprus by voting in favor of the Annan Plan, which was supported by the whole world, except the Greek Cypriots, who did not deem the plan as a reasonable compromise.