PRIME MINISTER SOYER CONTINUING HIS CONTACTS IN BERLIN

Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer who will return to the TRNC tomorrow (12 October) is continuing his contacts in Berlin.

Within the framework of his contacts, Prime Minister Soyer following his meeting with Turkish German Businessmen Union (TDU) yesterday (10 October) met with Lale Akgun, a member of the German Bundestag for the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Alex Schaefer SDP MP and Speaker of European Policies. Later Soyer met with SDP Parliamentary Group Deputy Chairman Walter Kolbow and the Co-Chairperson of the German Green Party Claudia Roth.

Speaking after his meeting with Lale Akgün and Alex Schaefer, Prime Minister Soyer said the Cyprus problem continued to be a source of crisis both in the Eastern Mediterranean and the EU and added that the non-solution in Cyprus had a negative effect on Turkey-EU relations like it had on Turkish-Greek relations. Soyer said that the meeting which is to take place between President Mehmet Ali Talat and the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon in New York next week would create new opportunities for the solution of the Cyprus problem. Soyer also emphasized that the non-solution of the Cyprus problem has gone far beyond the limits of tolerance.

Pointing out that the Turkish Cypriot people desired the solution of the Cyprus problem based on the political equality of the two sides, Soyer said despite the injustices they were continuing on their path with determination.

The Premier criticized the Greek Cypriot side for becoming a member of the European Union without the solution of the Cyprus problem, by misleading both itself and the international community. Soyer added that the Greek Cypriot side which was trying to prevent Turkey’s EU membership and extend its hegemony on Turkish Cypriot people had been heavily criticized by the world.

Prime Minister Soyer stated that the solution of the Cyprus problem was based on the political equality and bi-zonality, the guarantorship of Turkey, as well as on the UN-guided negotiations process and parameters.

For her part, Lale Akgün stated that the decision taken in the German Parliament demanded the isolation imposed on the Turkish Cypriots to be lifted and Turkish Cypriots to become part of Europe. She added that it was their responsibility to ensure that people living in the Northern part of the island shared the same welfare level with the Southern part.

Pointing out that the Turkish Cypriot side has always sacrificed for reaching a settlement in Cyprus and reminded the results of April 2004 referendum, Akgün said in face of this positive approach it was Germany’s responsibility to support the Turkish Cypriots.

During his meeting with Kolbow, Prime Minister Soyer conveyed the Turkish Cypriot side’s views on the Cyprus issue.

For his part, Kolbow said the solution in Cyprus was necessary and they were taking initiatives to contribute this.

In his meeting with Roth, Soyer called upon the Green Party to exert pressure for the start of the negotiation process under the UN auspices and the EU not to bow to fundamentalist and nationalist approaches.

Soyer stressed that the Turkish Cypriot side was in favor of a federal solution and it did not want any walls in Cyprus and was working hard to turn the Eastern Mediterranean into a region of peace and cooperation.

Soyer added that as long as the solution of the Cyprus problem delayed, all the physical barriers on the island turned into intellectual barriers and they were committed to the UN resolution plan with the aim of destroying all those barriers.

For her part, Roth stressed that Europe is fed up with the Greek Cypriot side’s approach which keeps causing deadlock. ‘We want all the walls knocked down. We did that for the Berlin Wall in the past and we really work hard to do the same in Cyprus’ she said. Reminding the 24 April 2004 referendum results, Roth said the negotiations should be under the UN umbrella and the time-table for reunification of the island should be prepared.