President Mehmet Ali Talat met with the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington yesterday.
After the meeting, President Talat told reporters that he had a very constructive meeting with Hillary Clinton.
Stating that he explained Turkish Cypriots' views about the negotiation process in the meeting and President Talat emphasized that USA Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed her country’s strong support to the solution process.
PRESIDENT TALAT “A SOLUTION UNTIL 2010 IS A MUST”
President Mehmet Ali Talat explained the Cyprus problem at the round table meeting in International Strategic Research Center in Washington. In the meeting President Talat emphasized that the solution of the Cyprus problem is a must until the Presidential elections in April 2010, and their target is to find a solution until that time.
President Talat pointed out that a surprising progress was made concerning “EU issues” at the negotiations.
Talat said “If it is adhered strictly to EU parameters, then we can compromise the disputes”. Talat stated that this adherence has an important role in the negotiations until today and added that Turkish Cypriot side proved its adherence to the solution in 2004.
KYPRIANOU GOES USA FOR THAWING RELATIONS
Foreign Minister of the Greek Cypriot Administration Markos Kiprianou expressed his hope “for thawing the ice between two countries” by the meeting the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington.
Making a statement before his journey to the USA where he will meet the UN Secretary General Ban ki Moon and the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Kyprianu stated that he expected that this would mark a new begining “in the bilateral relations of the two countries”.
DOWNER URGED THE TWO SIDES IN CYPRUS TO SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY OFFERED BY THE TALKS
The United Nations Secretary General’s Special Adviser for Cyprus Alexander Downer has urged Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides to seize the opportunity offered by talks to unite the island, adding that time was working against a deal
In an interview to Reuters, the UN Envoy told that the sides were making "steady progress" and he was encouraged by leaders' commitment to the process however it was important that the momentum in negotiations was maintained
Downer also pointed out that it would not be right to put deadlines for the conclusion of the talks.
He said "If you set an actual date, the problem with that is that you will create a sense of crisis around the date, which makes the negotiation more difficult."
AKEL LEADER: “NO GIVE AND TAKE”
Andros KYPRIANOU, the Secretary-General of AKEL, the coalition party in the South Cyprus said that Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias wouldn’t accept to enter “give and take process”, in the case that major differences persist between the two sides.
According to the news report of a Greek Cypriot daily Alithia, Kiprianu defended the view that the progress made at the negotiations so far doesn’t justified the TRNC President Mehmet Ali Talat’s optimism that by the end of 2009 or the beginning of 2010 an agreement will be completed to be put to a referenda.
TURKISH CYPRIOT PEOPLE TO GO POLLS ON SUNDAY
Early Elections for the 50-seat parliament of the TRNC will be contested on April 19, Sunday. The last general elections were held on February 20, 2005.
The total numbers of electorates are 161,373. 345 candidates from 7 parties and 8 independents will contest the elections. The National Unity Party (UBP), Republican Turkish Party-United Forces (CTP-BG), Democrat Party (DP), Communal Democracy Parties (TDP), the Freedom and Reform Party (ORP), Politics For People Party (HIS) and United Cyprus Party-Jasmine Movement (BKP-YH) will run in the elections.
The TRNC is divided into 5 constituencies, namely Lefkosa, Gazi Magusa, Girne, Guzelyurt and Iskele. The numbers of seats allocated to these constituencies are 16, 13, 9, 6 and 6 respectively. The parties must receive at least 5 % of the votes country-wide to be able to send deputies to the Assembly. The parties, which receive at least 5 % of the votes, will be represented in the Assembly according to the votes they will get.
‘TOURISM IN THE ISLAMIC WORLD’ SEMINAR STARTS IN GIRNE
The two-day seminar jointly organized by the TRNC Deputy Prime Ministry – Foreign Ministry and the OIC General Secretariat was started in Girne yesterday.
The Seminar is being held at the Savoy Ottoman Palace Hotel with the participation of 19 OIC countries.
The OIC Assistant Secretary General for Economic Affairs Tori Limangana read out the OIC Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu’s message which said the organization of such a seminar proves the solidarity between Turkish Cypriots and the OIC. In the message it is also stated that the OIC believed that the Seminar would help to ease the embargoes imposed on the TRNC.”
The OIC Assistant Secretary General for Economic Affairs Tori Limangana also delivered a speech at the seminar. In his speech pointing out that the Seminar would be a very good cooperation between the TRNC and the OIC Limangana continued saying “We will always support the Turkish Cypriot people”.
The seminar – which aims to increase Intra-OIC tourism flows and investments is continuing today.
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