TRNC NEWS HEADLINES

PRESIDENT TALAT: “WE HAVE TAKEN THE INITIATIVE...”

President Talat once again emphasized that the solution of the Cyprus problem will be a solution which foresees the existence of two constituent states of equal status and the right of self-determination equally enjoyed by two peoples of Cyprus .

The President also laid emphasis on the fact that the rights and gains of Turkish Cypriots will never be compensated at the negotiations table. Talat said the Turkish Cypriot side has taken the initiative of the Cyprus problem in its hands.

`If we did not do so, neither the former Greek Cypriot Leader Tassos Papadopoulos would quit nor the new leader Demetris Christofias would sit at the negotiations table` he added.

The President stated that Turkey has been the biggest supporter of Turkish Cypriots and said no one will have enough power to break the strong ties between the two countries.

In his call to the Greek Cypriot leader, Talat asked Christofias why he keeps blaming Turkey for the start of the Cyprus problem, saying ‘wasn’t the problem already there before the1974 `.
`The past of the Cyprus problem lies in the Greek Junta’s coup in Cyprus and massacres followed right after. And, I can neither construe Christofias in his accusations, nor I can construe the isolations facing Turkish Cypriots`.President Talat went on to say that the Greek Cypriot Administration does not perceive Turkish Cypriots as one of the equal forces in Cyprus and makes up the story which tells the TRNC is administered by Turkey.
`However, Turkey will not be standing as the lasting guarantee for Turkish Cypriots only, but for Greek Cypriots too` Talat stressed.

Underlining the importance of unity and solidarity during the ongoing peace process, the President said Turkish Cypriots can overcome all the difficulties by working jointly with Turkey .

FINANCIAL TIMES: “LAST CHANCE TO CREATE A UNIFIED ECONOMY”

Financial Times which is a daily newspaper being published in the UK issued a four page special Cyprus supplement yesterday.

Latest situation on the island was summarised in the article and importance of the UN-backed negotiations between the Greek Cypriot Leader Christofias and the TRNC President Talat, launched last September after six months of careful preparation, have been pointed out and the negotiations evaluated as the last chance to create a unified economy in the island.

It was recorded in the article that if the negotiations fail to bring results over the next year, the outcome could be a partition of the island into separate Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot states and in this case, both communities would lose a one-off opportunity to create a significantly larger island-wide economy based on tourism, higher education and financial services.