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ERCAKICA :
“WE ARE CLOSER TO THE FULLY FLEDGED NEGOTIATIONS AS A RESULT OF
PATIENT AND FLEXIBLE STANCE EMPLOYED BY PRESIDENT TALAT, DURING 1 JULY
MEETING”
In a
Statement issued yesterday the Presidential Spokesperson Mr. Hasan
Ercakica evaluated the 1 July meeting between TRNC President Mehmet Ali
Talat and Greek Cypriot Leader Dimitris Hrisofiyas. The full text of the
statement is as follows:
“The new
process in Cyprus which started on 21 March 2008 has reached a new dimension
after the meeting held on 1 July 2008. Despite all the difficulties
encountered during the meeting held on 1 July, it is now a step closer to
the full fledged negotiations as a result of patient and flexible stance
employed by President Mr. Mehmet Ali Talat.
Now, there
appeared a widespread belief that the next step should be the announcement
of the final date for the start of the full fledged negotiations and that
both sides should take their places at the negotiation table with full
capacity.
There is no
doubt that the purpose of the full fledged negotiations would be to reach an
urgent, just and comprehensive solution for the Cyprus problem.
The period
of time that has passed since March has been an indication of why a
settlement in Cyprus is urgent. Every day that passes without reaching a
settlement causes new problems in Cyprus and also rise of the tension from
time to time which threaten to derail the whole process.
For the
last four years the whole efforts of the Turkish side who is very well aware
of these realities have focused on commencing the comprehensive settlement
negotiations as soon as possible and pressing for the ways of finding a
lasting and just settlement for the Cyprus problem via the negotiations.
This is the only reason behind all the initiatives and the constructive
position employed. It is very important that this position of good will is
deemed positively and the opportunities acquired are not wasted.
On the
other hand, the Greek Cypriot side should also wish for the start of the
comprehensive settlement negotiations as much as the Turkish Cypriot side
does and take the necessary step to that end.
Taking
refuge behind the fears that insufficient preparation would lead to the
collapse of the negotiations and therefore, the division in Cyprus would be
permanent not only obstructs a solution in Cyprus but it also causes new
problems to be added to the existing ones complicating the already
complicated Cyprus problem. |
