PRESIDENT TALAT RETURNS TO TRNC
The President who completed his contacts in
Brussels returned to the Turkish Republic of
Northern Cyprus last night.
Speaking upon his arrival at Ercan Airport, The
President described his contacts in Brussels
as useful and productive. The President
evaluated his meeting with the President of the
European Parliament Jerzy Buzek and his
contacts at the EU
institutions’ permanent representatives.
President Mehmet Ali Talat said that the future
of the Turkish Cypriots lay with becoming part
of the European Union, integrating with the rest
of the world and settling the Cyprus Problem.
Explaining that he hadn’t the opportunity to
meet the previous EU President and it had been
three years since he had met the President of
the European Parliament, Talat said the meeting
was important and that he had briefed the
President of the European Parliament on the
Turkish Side’s positions and expectations
regarding the ongoing negotiations.
Talat pointed out that he had also conveyed to
Buzek his expectations from the European
Parliament and listed these as the declaration
of Turkish as an official language by the
European Parliament, the establishment of TRNC-EP
Joint Parliamentary Commission and the direct
representation of the TRNC at the Parliament as
envisaged in the Annan Plan.
Stating that they had discussed ways of easing
the international isolation of the Turkish
Cypriots during the meeting, the President
explained that the Greek Cypriot
Administration’s EU membership posed a serious
obstacle in achieving this.
Touching upon his other contacts, the President
said that he had discussed with the Director
General for Enlargement Michael Leigh issues
concerning the implementation of the Green Line
Regulation as well as direct trade.As for his
meeting with the European Parliament’s
Rapporteur on Turkey, Dutch MEP Ria Oomen
Ruijten, the President said that he had conveyed
the Turkish Side’s objections and concerns
regarding areas in Turkey’s report concerning
Cyprus.Talat expressed the view that the
inclusion of issues being negotiated in the
talks in the report was dangerous.
GERMANY’S TURKISH ASSOCIATION
INITIATIVE CONDEMS EMBARGOE IMPOSED ON TRNC
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Honorary
Consulate in Germany’s Werl province organized a
meeting that evaluated the past and present of
the Cyprus issue.
The meeting was attended by the German Turkish
Association Initiative Platform which is made up
of 338 non-governmental organizations.
The TRNC’s Honorary Consul in Werl, Kandemir
Ozdemir called on the non-governmental
organizations to support the workings of the
organizations that are trying to promote the
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and lift
the embargoes enforced against the TRNC.
In an opening speech Mr. Ozdemir informed the
participants about the future expectations of
the Turkish Cypriots and said “we, as the
Turkish Cypriots want peace in Cyprus”. Stating
that if a honoured peace was found to the
Cyprus issue, the two communities would have a
better life, Ozdemir said the 46 years long
social, cultural and political background
should also be reflected in this peace.
Kandemir Ozdemir also underlined that peace
could only be brought to the island in 1974
with the
Turkish Army.
Reminding that despite the Greek Cypriots were
accepted into the EU, the promises given to the
Turkish Cypriots were not kept, Ozdemir said
they were deceived by the EU and none of the
EU’s promises was kept. TRNC Honorary Consul
Kandemir Ozdemir said “…we have been living
under embargoes for 46 years.”
Following Kandemir’s speech, Germany’s Turkish
Association Initiative Chairman Isa Ilyasoglu
read the condemnation declaration of the
initiative.
The declaration condemned the inhumane
embargoes imposed against the Turkish Cypriots
and called on everyone around the world who
supports human rights to rally for the lifting
of these inhuman embargoes. The declaration
said “ we announce to the whole world that we
will support and be by the side of Turkish
Cypriots in their just cause.”
Ilyasoglu also condemned the latest report on
Turkey prepared by the European Parliament that
calls for the Turkish army in the north of the
island to leave and for the closed city of Maras
to be given to the Greek Cypriot Administration.
He reminded that the Turkish army was on the
island with the rights gained by the
guarantorship agreements.
He also touched upon the Orams case and
evaluated the British High Court’s decision to
be a political one and added that Turkey and the
TRNC should start a new initiative against this
decision.
Around 30 association representatives, who
participated the meeting, in their statements to
the press also asked the lifting of the inhuman
embargo imposed on TRNC and announced that
they would launch a petition of 50 thousand
signatures in April for this purpose and would
convey it to the Germany’s Foreign Ministry.