From the President of the TRNC

Statement by the Presidential Spokesperson Mr. Hasan Ercakica

The meeting that was scheduled to take place this week between the two leaders was postponed to 21 April 2009. One of the reasons for this postponement is the visit President Mr. Talat will pay to the USA and the other one is the need for extra time for both sides to complete the preparatory works they have been carrying out for the new heading that will be undertaken in the next meeting of the two leaders. As it is known, the two leaders will undertake the Economy heading in the next meeting.

President Mr.Talat who is visiting the USA for the meeting he will have with the United States Secretary of State, Mrs. Hillary Clinton, will make various other contacts in the USA as well.

**********

In the last meeting of the two leaders that took place on 10 April 2009, some problems regarding the technical committee decisions, which were previously approved but have not yet been implemented, were overcome and it was decided that these decisions are to be implemented as soon as possible.

In this context, the relevant necessary measures at the check points will start to be taken by today and the decision taken by the Health Committee regarding the reciprocal crossing of the ambulances in cases of emergency will start to be implemented.

It is also expected that the efforts maintained by the Committee on Crime and Crime Related Issues to establish a sub committee concerning exchange of information and intelligence between the two sides will be restored and the first meeting of the members that will be appointed by the two sides this week will take place.

It is also agreed to implement an awareness raising project on saving water, financed by the UNDP, as decided by the Environment Committee.

The fact that an Advisory Board regarding the cultural heritage issue, of which establishment was approved in recent months, has started working was welcomed as a positive development.

As the Turkish Cypriot side, we would like to state that, we welcome the recent developments concerning the technical committees and we will maintain our efforts to immediately implement the decisions of the other technical committees as well.