Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Turgay Avcý yesterday (6 November) went to Germany in order to meet with various MPs and carry out other contacts.

Within the framework of his contacts, Foreign Minister Avcý gave an interview to German television channel NTV’s foreign news bulletin in Köln and responded the questions on RPR radio 1 and of WEISS news agency.

Responding to the questions mainly on the Cyprus problem, Foreign Minister Avcý stated that the Greek Cypriots were not ready to meet on any common point with the Turkish Cypriots and that this was clearly seen in various processes until today.

Underlining that the European Union should exert more pressure on the Greek Cypriots and better understand the Turkish Cypriots, Avcý said otherwise it would be very difficult to bring the Greek Cypriots to the table.

Drawing attention to the fact the isolation imposed on the Turkish Cypriots especially in the fields of education, sports and culture was inhuman, Avcý stressed that the Turkish Cypriots were not obliged to wait for Papadopoulos’ sense of justice for another 40 years.

Avcý pointing out that the Greek Cypriots did not have the right to speak on behalf of the whole island said today the existence of two states in the island is the result of the destruction of the partnership republic in 1963 by the Greek Cypriots.

After completing his contacts in Köln, Foreign Minister Avcý went to Berlin, where he met with various MPs of the German Parliament and some local governors.

The ongoing election discussions in the Greek Cypriot side have shed light on many issues concerning the Cyprus problem.

The UN Comprehensive Settlement Plan is being referred to as a “sin” in the statements made within the framework of the election campaigns in the Greek Cypriot side. However, those who become a party in the election discussions today, used to speak of the Annan Plan positively and even blame the Turkish Cypriot side for not wanting to reach a solution on the basis of the said Plan.

In his 2 April 2003 dated letter to the then President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Mr. Rauf Denktas, Mr. Papadopoulos have made similar accusations and stated that the Annan Plan would continue to be “the only ground for settlement” after the EU membership of Cyprus.

Even after having achieved the rejection of the Annan Plan in the 24 April 2004 referendum by the Greek Cypriots, the Greek Cypriot leaders have stated that they accept the said plan as the ground for negotiation and settlement.

Given the current discussions, it can be said that the actions of the Greek Cypriot side are far from being reliable and sincere and their action plans prior to the 1 May 2004 were only aimed at the unilateral EU membership of the Greek Cypriot side.

Similarly, it is observed that the Greek Cypriot side have mentioned the Annan Plan as the ground for negotiation and settlement aiming to eliminate the side effects of their “no” vote in the international arena.

As the international community refrained from taking the necessary initiatives, the Greek Cypriot side has become more confident to destroy the ground for negotiations. Finally, it has come to the point of rejecting the established parameters and the body of work for the settlement of the problem reached as a result of the negotiations carried out within the framework of the good offices mission of the UN Secretary-General. This process as a whole must be instructional in terms of indicating the stance employed by the Greek Cypriot side.

The change in the stance employed by the Greek Cypriot side has once again set out the urgency and necessity of the lifting of the isolations imposed on the Turkish Cypriots so as to motivate the negotiations aiming to find a solution to the Cyprus problem.