Presidential Spokesman Hasan Ercakica stated that the Greek Cypriot side has been engaging in efforts to impose its own demands on the Turkish Cypriot side through its press and stressed that this was detrimental for the negotiation process.

Ercakica explained that the agenda of the meeting which would take place between President Mehmet Ali Talat and Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias tomorrow (1 July) would be to start full-fledged negotiations towards a solution.

Explaining that the Greek Cypriot press has been publishing speculative news with regard to agenda of the forthcoming meeting between President Talat and Greek Cypriot leader Christofias Ercakica said moreover the Greek Cypriot spokesmen at various ranks have been making statements supporting such news.

Reminding that the agenda of tomorrow’s meeting was identified during the 21st of March agreement and affirmed at the 23rd of May meeting, Ercakica said: “The agenda of the meeting is to start full-fledged negotiations by using the results produced by the Working Groups. Starting full-fledged negotiations for a settlement within three months after 21st of March is in accordance with the agreement.”

Pointing out that discussing other issues besides the start of full-fledged negotiations should be considered normal since the meeting would be between the two leaders, Ercakica said: “However, the Greek Cypriot side has engaged in efforts to impose its own demands on the Turkish Cypriot side through its press. Greek Cypriot side’s attempts to announce its demands through its press without conveying them to President Talat or his aide Ozdil Nami are detrimental for the negotiation process.”

GREEK CYPRIOT SIDE CRITISIZES ECHR’S DECISION

Greek Cypriot daily Politis has covered the views of Former Greek Cypriot Attorney General Alekos Markidis and the lawyer of Titina Loizidou Ahilleas Dimitriadis on the ECHR’s (European Court of Human Rights) decision given on the case filed by Eleni Foka against Turkey.

In the application of Eleni Foka the European Court of Human Rights found Turkey guilty of violating the freedom of expression of Greek Cypriot Eleni Foka who is a primary school teacher living in the Sipahi village of Karpaz.

Nevertheless, the Court dismissed Foka’s claim of being subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment under article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights and also of being deprived of her liberty and security under article 5.

Politis in its own interpretation of the decision pointed out that although Turkey refused that there was an arrest, the Court accepted this as a “fact” and therefore accepted the status of the Turkish Cypriot police in the North.

Alekos Markidis evaluated the decision as “very negative” and added that the Court’s expression that the arrest was totally lawful was the worst part of the decision.

Greek Cypriot Lawyer Ahilleas Dimitriadis referred to the Court’s decision that: "…When an act of the ‘TRNC’ authorities is in compliance with the laws in force within the territory of northern Cyprus, those acts should in principle be regarded as having a legal basis in domestic law for the purposes of the Convention.”