TRNC NEWS HEADLINES

TURKISH PRIME MINISTER ERDOGAN: “GROUND FOR A SOLUTION IS THE UN”

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and TRNC Prime Minister Dervis Eroglu organised a joint press conference after the meeting which they had yesterday. Indicating that the criteria for a just and viable solution in Cyprus were clear Prime Minister Erdogan said: “the ground for a solution is clear. No one should look for a solution other than the UN parameters. A solution shall be realized only within the framework of the good mission office of the UN Secretary General as we said always which shall be based on the bi-zonality and political equality principles and a new partnership composed of two establishing states with equal status. Agreements of Guarantee and Alignment shall continue within the framework of a solution reached. And the full and effective guarantee of Turkey shall continue.

Erdogan also said: “We give great importance to prevent the legal erosion of any agreement to be reached within the EU. The latest decision of the ECJ on the Orams Case once more clarified the importance of this situation.”

Erdogan continued by saying that reaching a just and viable solution in Cyprus shall provide for peace, stability confidence and tranquillity in the Mediterranean . After this not only the two sides in the island but also the whole international community shall benefit from this situation.

Prime Minister Eroglu said that they were aware of their responsibility as the Head of the NUP and the Prime Minister and continued by saying that they aimed at being stronger at the negotiation table by increasing the economic condition and the welfare of the TRNC people.

Prime Minister Eroglu indicated that they were looking for an agreement which shall make the Turkish Cypriot people happier and added that they did not accept any agreement without the continuation of the full and effective guarantee of Turkey .

IMPROVEMENTS ON OPENING YESILIRMAK GATE

President Mehmet Ali Talat and the Greek Cypriot Leader Dimitris Christofias met again yesterday within the framework of the direct negotiations launched in September with the aim of setting the Cyprus problem. President Talat said that they have come closer to an agreement on the opening of the Yesilirmak Gate.Talat also told reporters that differences on economic issues were taken up during the meeting and a significant rapprochement was reached on some points. He also said that the economy issue was completed today and they begin discussions on the issue of Territory.
TALAT “CHALLENGING IS NOT A WISE IDEA”

TRNC President Mehmet Ali Talat stated that Turkish Cypriots have the equal rights for the natural resources in Cyprus and they would not retreat from their existing rights and he emphasized that challenging concerning the natural resources does not help the negotiation process.

Talat said “Turkish Cypriots have the obvious and net equal rights for the natural resources in Cyprus . The subject of Natural resources is among the authorities of the Federal government.”

Replying the question about the statement of Greek Cypriot Commerce, Industry and Tourism Minister Andonis Pashalidis as “there is not any change in the plans of Greek Cypriot Administration on hydrocarbon exploration and concession in Mediterranean sea and they will not abide the pressures”, Talat said:

“I think challenging with Turkey is not a wise idea. Another thing which is not wise is to challenge the Turkish Cypriots in a subject in which they have obvious equal rights. This situation will not help the negotiation process that we are in”.

Stating that making studies concerning the natural resources in a mechanism where there is not Turkish Cypriots is not compatible with good will, President Talat added that he forwarded his reactions for the research of the American company to the US ambassador to Cyprus .

Talat said “to oppose our rights on natural resources by mentioning the sovereignty rights means to mix apples with pears. If Cyprus shall exercise a sovereignty right, existence of the Turkish and Greek Cypriots is the essence. To exercise the sovereignty right unitarily is out of question.”
TR FOREIGN OFFICE SPOKESMAN OZUGERGIN: “ADVENTURER’S ACTION”
Turkish Republic Foreign Ministry Spokesman Burak Ozugergin stated that they accept the Greek Cypriot Administration’s gas and oil research studies in whole Cyprus as ‘an adventurer’s action’.
Replying to a question Ozugergin said that these efforts are not compatible with the negotiation process, not suitable with the philosophy of the process, have potential of creating tension and against the legal bases. Ozugergin also added that Turkish Cypriots have equal rights in the island.
Ozugergin replied to a question about the participation of an American company in the research as Turkish Republic is expecting third parties to be sensitive as long as the negotiation process is continuing.
SPEAKER OF TGNA TOPTAN VISITS TRNC
The Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) Koksal Toptan arrived in the TRNC yesterday as guest of the Speaker of the Republic’s Assembly Hasan Bozer.
Giving a press statement in Ercan State Airport , Toptan said that Turkey and the TRNC will continue to do their best in order to build a lasting and just peace in Cyprus . He underlined that to achieve this aim, before the negotiations, everybody has to acknowledge that there were two people, democracies and states in Cyprus as a pre-condition.
Toptan stated that in the 24th April referenda, Turkish Cypriot people showed their peace desire, while Greek Cypriot administration proved not to be in favour of peace. He emphasized that the European Union policy, which was wrong and made reaching a solution in the island more difficult, was an important negative factor in this process.
By stating that while the EU accepted a part of disputed Cyprus as a member unconditionally Toptan underlined that the EU behaved in favour of South Cyprus. Toptan added that the TRNC has to look ahead without being stacked at this point.