PRESIDENT TALAT RETURNED TO THE TRNC

President Mehmet Ali Talat who was in New York where he met with the UN Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon yesterday (18 October) returned to the TRNC. Speaking on his arrival at Ercan Airport, President Talat stated that his meeting with the United Nations Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon was very fruitful and that he expressed the Turkish Cypriot side’s readiness to start negotiations for a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem.

President Talat pointing out that the Secretary General repeated himself by saying that the UN would only take a new initiative on the island in case of a real commitment by both sides said the message was for the Greek Cypriot side.

President Talat said the Greek Cypriot side by announcing that it presented proposals and sent a letter to the UN Secretary General was trying to manipulate his meeting with Mr. Ban.

The President explained that he handed over a package of proposals putting forward confidence-building measures as well as military arrangements aimed at improving relations between the two sides and opening of Lokmacý (Ledra Street) border gate for crossings. He added that it was better to wait and see how the UN Secretary General would evaluate the proposals before giving more details.

President Talat stating the UN was the only platform for the solution of the Cyprus problem said the UN was willing to settle the Cyprus problem but Ban-Ki Moon repeated that the UN would take initiative only when both sides in Cyprus are ready.

Referring to his meeting with Jewish Lobby in New York, Talat said he had explained the Cyprus problem and requested their support for ending the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot people.

Responding to a question Talat said the UN Secretary General did not mention about the proposals of the Greek Cypriot side. He added that after they heard about the Greek Cypriot side’s proposals from the Greek Cypriot press they phoned the Secretary-General’s team and learned that it was true but there wasn’t much in the proposals.

Talat noted that on the other hand the proposals submitted by the Turkish Cypriot side were serious and concrete proposals which included confidence-building measures. In response to a question about the military issues in the proposals, President said the diminishing of the military power was out of question and the Cyprus problem was not a military problem.

President Talat said the news appeared in the Greek Cypriot press with regard to the Greek Cypriot side’s proposals consisting of 8 articles were unclear and confusing and reminded that the request of the Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos for the opening of Yesilýrmak border gate was not a new thing.

Continuing, Talat said: “I don’t think that Papadopoulos’ proposals are serious. Please, remember that he had also abolished the wall at Lokmacý when I was abroad. These are not a coincidence.”

President also pointed out that he said to Ban-Ki Moon that the Turkish Cypriot side was ready to share its proposals with the Greek Cypriot side if Papadopoulos desired so.