TRNC NEWS HEADLINES

PRESIDENT TALAT SEES CYPRUS REFERENDUM IN 2010

President Mehmet Ali Talat expressed hope that a mutually agreed plan would be voted in a double referendum by Turkish and Greek Cypriots in early 2010.

"There will be some serious give-and-take process in our talks starting in August and the Turkish Cypriot side is planning a referendum in early 2010.” said the Presindent.

Talat said the Greek Cypriot Administration leader Christofias had been rejecting to set a specific time frame for course of the negotiations and for a possible referendum, however the natural time frame had been working and the international community was sharing the same thoughts with the Turkish Cypriot side.

CHRISTOFIAS: “THERE IS NO PROGRESS”

Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias stated that he wasn’t satisfied with the progress in the full-fledged Cyprus negotiations until now.

According to the Greek Cypriot press, referring to Talat’s statement, regarding a formula including the UN’s arbitration role and a “framework of principles” to be approved in the referendum, Hristofyas said, “ these statements by Talat are due to the elections in the North and I consider only the agreement reached among me, Talat and the UN Secretary-General”. He also added that, if President Talat has different ideas, he could freely express them as he was going through an election process.

BAGIS “CHRISTOFIAS SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED FOR SOLUTION”

Turkish State Minister and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis stated that the leader of Greek Cypriot Administration Dimitris Christofias should be encouraged and motivated for a solution in Cyprus not only by Turkey and Greece but also by all EU member states.

Bagis made a statement to a newspaper in Turkey and expressed that he worried whether Christofias had adequate motivation for reaching an agreement in the negotiations or not. Emphasizing that Greek Cypriot side is an EU member state and per capita income in South Cyprus is higher than that of the North Cyprus, Bagis said “therefore there is not many reasons for a solution at this point.”