TRNC NEWS HEADLINES

TALAT “SOLUTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE”

TRNC President Mehmet Ali Talat met with Nikos Anastasiades, leader of DISI, the opposition party of South Cyprus, at a diner last night in South Cyprus .

President Mehmet Ali Talat stated their expectations which were to develop the relations between two sides and two communities and to find a solution in Cyprus as soon as possible.

Leader of DISI Nikos Anastasiadis stated that he hoped the negotiations between the two leaders of Cyprus could arrive at a conclusion.

On the other hand, Prime Minister and leader of CTP Ferdi Sabit Soyer announced that TRNC President Mehmet Ali Talat and leader of Greek Cypriot Administration Dimitris Hristofyas would meet on 23 May for purpose of evaluating the efforts implemented within the framework of 23 March agreement.

“ENCOURAGEMENT” CALL FROM TALAT TO EU

TRNC President Mehmet Ali Talat stated that European Union (EU) should encourage the Greek Cypriots who have lack of encouragement for the solution of Cyprus problem and should encourage the Turkish Cypriots for keeping the willingness of solution alive.

Reminding that EU membership, on its own, was a basis for struggle in the willingness of solution of the Turkish Cypriot people, President Talat demanded EU to give the necessary support to the will and targets of the Turkish Cypriots by understanding and observing this reality.

BABACAN: ‘ CYPRUS ISSUE IS OUT OF EU’S AGENDA’

It was stated that Turkish Foreign Minister and Chief Negotiator Ali Babacan said that since 2004 when the Turkish Cypriots accepted the Annan Plan and the Greek Cypriots rejected it, Cyprus issue was out of the agenda of Europe .

Ali Babacan also said that a good atmosphere has been formed in the island after the elections held in the south of Cyprus . Adding that within this framework, they wait for right conditions to be formed for the UN Secretary General’s making an initiative for a comprehensive solution; Babacan said that as the years of 2003 and 2004, Turkey was ready to make contribution to the solution proposal of the UN actively.

UFUK TANERI WON RECTORATE ELECTION OF EMU

It was stated that Prof. Dr. Ufuk Taneri won the rectorate election of the Eastern of Mediterranean University realized by senate.

Moreover, it was stated that election was realized in 5 boxes and Prof. Dr. Ufuk Taneri has taken 578 votes and Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Tahir Çelik has taken 294 votes.

TRNC NEWS HEADLINES

TALAT AND CHRISTOFIAS CAME TOGETHER

It was stated that President Mehmet Ali Talat and Greek Administration Leader Dimitris Christofias came together at a reception at the Ledra Palace. Various party representatives from the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot sides, Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer, Slovenia ’s Cyprus Ambassador Anna Turenicova, representatives of both leaders Özdil Nami and Yorgo Yakovu participated in the reception arranged within the framework of the activities with the aim of bringing both communities together. Moreover, it was stated that President Mehmet Ali Talat and Greek Cypriot Administration Leader Dimitris Christofias who came together in the reception decided to continue their meetings.

‘ TURKEY AND GREECE SUPPORT EFFORTS OF LEADERS FOR A COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION IN CYPRUS ’

It was stated that Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chief Negotiator Ali Babacan said that Turkey and Greece supported the efforts of leaders for a comprehensive solution in Cyprus . Babacan who is in Strasbourg for the meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe met with Greece’s Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyanni within the framework of his bilateral contacts. In his statement made after the meeting, Babacan said that after the visit of Greece ’s Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis to Turkey after 49 years, the two countries started a new period in their relations. However, Bakoyanni said that both leaders had willpower for a solution in Cyprus and they hoped to find a just and permanent solution as soon as possible. As an answer to the question of a journalist related to the time of a solution, Greece Minister said ‘I can not tell anything about the time of this issue, this depends on the two leaders’.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE :“THE NEWS ON COLLECTING VAT IS NOT TRUE”

Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce (TCCC) stated that the news published in Greek Cypriot press that VAT would be collected from the sales made from North Cyprus to South Cyprus within the context of the Green Line Regulation, was not true. In the statement made by TCCC, it was stated that “VAT cannot be collected from the trade made as stated in the regulation due to the trade could not be subjected to ‘import’ proceeding by the Greek Cypriot competent authorities”.

SOYER “SUPPORTING YACHTING IS IMPORTANT FOR THE COUNTRY AND ITS FUTURE”

TRNC Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer emphasized that it was a requirement to develop the marinas for yachting that is very important for tourism and forms an important potential for the TRNC. Soyer announced that TRNC had 2 marinas with total 550 yacht capacity and this amount would be increased to 2,500 by building 3 marinas with 1,500 yacht capacity. Soyer stated that the government, by taking the development of the country into consideration, supported an investment for a marina with 500 yacht capacity in Karpaz Marina and this support would continue. Stating that this marina would be supported with two 5 stars hotels, Prime Minister Soyer pointed out that the total cost for investment project of the marinas and hotels would be 200 million USD and this company would not demand any financial support from the government.

On Northern Cyprus

BABACAN: ‘IT IS NOT BENEFICIAL TO WAIT UNILATERAL CONCESSIONS FROM TURKEY ’

Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chief Negotiator Ali Babacan stated that it was not beneficial to wait unilateral concessions from Turkey on the issue of Cyprus problem. During the joint press conference arranged at Government Guesthouse after Turkey-EU Troika Ministers of Foreign Affairs Meeting, Babacan said ‘our aim in Cyprus is to reach a comprehensive solution on the base of the UN as soon as possible. We will continue to support the efforts on this issue henceforth as before’.

Adding that during the meeting they discussed the Cyprus problem Babacan said ‘we demanded from the EU to support the comprehensive solution efforts implemented within the UN parameters. We wait from the EU and the member states to encourage the Greek Cypriot Administration with the aim of finding a solution in the island which would bring peace and stability for both people and the whole island. Technical support of the EU for the process started in the island would be important. Especially, I also want to express that it would not be beneficial to wait for the unilateral concessions from Turkey ’.

TALAT WILL BE HOST OF ANASTASIADES ON THURSDAY NIGHT
President Mehmet Ali Talat will be host of the main opposition party leader in South Cyprus , leader of DİSİ Party Nikos Anastasiades on Thursday night. Talat will visit Anastasiades at his house in Limassol and will be his host at dinner. It is expected that ex-leader of DİSİ, and ex-president of the Greek Cypriot Administration Glafkos Clerides will also be present at the dinner. Anastasiades and Clerides were hosted by the president Talat recently. Meanwhile, President Mehmet Ali Talat will come together with the Greek Cypriot leader Dimitris Christofias tonight at a reception to be organised at the Ledra Palace Hotel.

PAPADOPULOS: ‘CHRISTOFIAS WAS WRONG’

It was stated that Nikolas Papadopulos, the son of DIKO Parliamentarian and the Greek Cypriot Administration’s ex-leader Tasos Papadopulos said that Greek Cypriot Administration Leader Christofias accepted 50.000 TRNC Turkish origin citizens to stay in the island and this was a big mistake. During his statement, Papadopulos qualified the statement of AKEL Press Spokesman Antros Kiprianu related to the statement of Former President of Greek Cypriot Administration Tasos Papadopulos for his commitment for 50.000 TRNC origin citizens to stay in the island as being unfortunate. However, AKEL Press Spokesman Antros Kiprianu who was asked to answer the criticism of Nikolas Papadopulos expressed that his statement was unnecessary and said ‘I advise Nikolas Papadopulos to his father to have the answers’.

News from the TRNC

Statement by the Presidential Spokesperson Mr. Hasan Ercakica

As the negotiation process regarding the Cyprus problem is being maintained at the level of Working Groups and Technical Committees, it has been observed that the Greek Cypriot side is trying to determine its “negotiation position” through various methods and set this as “the ground for negotiation”.

It seems that the Greek Cypriot side adopted discussing certain issues or discussing those issues in the media organs instead of negotiation table as a means of doing so. As part of this understanding of theirs, they are discussing the status of some of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus citizens via media organs.

On behalf of the Turkish Cypriot side, President Mehmet Ali Talat has been involved in this discussion only to the extent that he has to and made the necessary statement.

Turkish Cypriot side maintains that the issues relating to the settlement of the Cyprus problem should primarily be undertaken in the Working Groups formed within the context of the new process launched on 21 March 2008 and then, during the full fledged negotiations between Mr. Talat and Mr. Christofias which were decided to be launched in the second half of June.

Meanwhile, we will spend efforts not only to inform the public opinion but to safeguard the negotiation process.

Our involvement to the discussions the Greek Cypriot side has been trying to carry out before the public opinion would only be limited to informing the people. However, we will retain this involvement in a balanced manner in order to be able to remain committed to the principles of maintaining a healthy and serious negotiation process.

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