The TRNC President Mehmet Ali Talat speaking at a conference, titled “the Other Side of the Coin: Giving Turkish Cypriots a Voice” held in the European Parliament in Brussels yesterday (16 May), which was organized by the Liberal Democrat Group – the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe in the European Parliament and with the contributions of the TRNC Chamber of Commerce explained the Turkish Cypriot side’s stance.

President Talat said the Turkish Cypriot people were being discriminated on many fields and the Greek Cypriot administration was using the EU to isolate the Turkish Cypriots. President added that the Turkish Cypriot people should be given the opportunity to represent themselves in platforms related with them.

Stressing that it was wrong to keep the Turkish military responsible from the division in Cyprus, President said, the reasons behind the non-settlement of the Cyprus issue should be searched in the intransigent stance of the Greek Cypriots. President Mehmet Ali Talat has called on the European Union to keep its promises.

Speaking in Turkish language, President Talat said the Turkish Cypriots have always had and continue to have an EU vision and added that they had set up this vision through democratic ways and demonstrations.

President said besides the fact that the Direct Trade Regulation was not yet approved, the Turkish Cypriots were being isolated and faced discrimination in many fields and although there wasn’t any international decision on this, there was isolation even in the fields of education and sports.

President Talat explaining the embargoes on education sector and sports, gave the example that the TRNC universities were not included to Bologna process. Talat said “within the EU territories people having EU citizenship are not included into the EU education system. How can EU accept this?”

Explaining that these problems stemmed from the fact that the Turkish Cypriots’ voice was not being heart, President Talat said any kind of contact between the Turkish Cypriot people and the world states was prevented by the Greek Cypriots. President added that the Greek Cypriot administration had never given up its claim to represent the Turkish Cypriot people.

Stating that the Turkish Cypriot people was not even aware of the existence of many international meetings, said they were not even present while the EU’s Education and Culture Committee was discussing the Cultural heritage in Cyprus.

Continuing, President Talat said: “While we demand the isolation to be lifted, we don’t ask anyone to be punished.”

Pointing out that there were Greek Cypriot claims to the effect that Christian cultural heritage in Cyprus were destroyed, President said Turkish Cypriots had never intentionally destroyed any cultural heritage, but there might be some destructions due to natural conditions and time.

President added that however in South Cyprus, there were lots of Turkish Cypriot cultural heritage, which had been destroyed with dozers and turned into car parks.

Stressing that there were not much contacts with Greek Cypriots, President Talat said they could not even cooperate with Greek Cypriots on issues such as human trafficking, crimes and bird flue.

Stating that the Annan plan which was an acceptable basis for settlement during the referendum process for the Greek Cypriots, however after the referendum, it was shown as a devilish plan by the Greek Cypriots and they did not even want to hear about it.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Turgay Avcý, currently in Pakistan in order to attend the 34^th OIC Foreign Ministers Meeting, yesterday (16 May) met with the UN Undersecretary General for Political Affairs Ibrahim Gambari.

According to the statement issued by the TRNC Deputy Prime Ministry and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during the meeting Avcý drawing attention to the fact that the 8 July process has not been implemented in the way agreed by the two sides, complained that the Greek Cypriot side had done its best to prevent the setting up of technical committees as part of the process.

Foreign Minister Avcý stated that the Turkish Cypriot side had put forward its good will for the solution of the Cyprus problem, but it will not give up on its fundamental rights.

Avcý explained that the 8 July process came to a halt as a result of Greek Cypriot leader Papadopoulos’ attempt to include the property issue, which is one of the corner stones of the Cyprus issue that should be solved within comprehensive negotiations, among the topics to be discussed by the technical committees. Avcý added that the main aim of Papadopoulos was to prevent the economic development of the Turkish Cypriot side, which has prospered as a result of the progress in the construction sector.

Pointing out that Papadopoulos did not want to take any step on the eve of the forthcoming elections in the Greek Cypriot side, Avcý said although the Greek Cypriot side said “no” to everything, the international community has not exerted enough pressure on it.

Reminding that the report prepared by the former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan had not yet discussed at the Security Council, Avcý said the Turkish Cypriots expected the report to be urgently approved by the UN Security Council.

Minister Avcý stressed that the Greek Cypriot side would not be able to prevent the Turkish Cypriot side from opening to the world by improving its economy and trade.

Avcý said the TRNC besides improving its relations with the EU countries; it would also develop much closer commercial, educational and cultural relations with the OIC member countries. He added that the Turkish Cypriot side would not take any further step towards a solution in Cyprus and that the demands of the Greek Cypriot side were unacceptable.

For his part, Mr. Gambari said he would convey the Turkish Cypriot side’s views and expectations to the UN Secretary-General.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Turgay Avcý within the framework of his contacts in Pakistan attended the dinner hosted by Pakistani Head of State Pervez Muserref in honour of the heads of delegations attending the 34^th OIC Foreign Ministers Meeting, on Tuesday (15 May).

In the statement issued by the TRNC Deputy Prime Ministry and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it was reported that at the dinner Foreign Minister Avcý had the opportunity to meet with the foreign ministers of other countries and also had a conversation with Pakistani Head of State Pervez Muserref.

Muserref reiterated Pakistan’s support to the Turkish Cypriot people and expressed his pleasure for seeing the TRNC delegation in Islamabad.

According to the statement, Foreign Minister Avcý met with the Foreign Minister of Bosnia-Herzegovina Sven Alkalaj, Nigerian Foreign Minister Aichatou Mindaoudou, Sierra Leone Head of Delegation Al-Haji Amadu Deen Tejan, Special Representative of Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Responsible For International Organizations Mansoor Abdullah Al Awaidi and the Foreign Minister of Qatar Ahmet Abdulla Al-Mahmoud.