TRNC NEWS HEADLINES

BRYZA: “WE EXPECT A SOLUTION TILL END OF THE YEAR”

The US-deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Matthew Bryza stated that USA was expecting a solution in Cyprus till the end of the year. Bryza underlined that USA has no role in the negotiation process however interested in the unification of the island based on bicomunal, bizonal lasting settlement.

The US-deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Matthew Bryza has been received by President of the Republic Mehmet Ali Talat and Prime Minister Dervis Eroglu. Bryza evaluated his meeting with the President as being constructive and added that he met with President’s Special Representative Ozdil Nami before the meeting.

Bryza pointed out that they discussed what kind of support USA may put forward for the Cyprus Problem in the meeting and said ‘As I said in South we do not have any aim to impose anything to anyone or try to push someone to do what they do not want to do.’

OZGURGUN: “AIM IS TO CREATE A PARTNERSHIP BASED ON EQUALITY OF BOTH SIDES”

Foreign Minister Huseyin Ozgurgun pointed out that the aim of the negotiations is to create a partnership based on the equality of Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot sides.

As a reply to the statement of Greek side saying that the new state which will be established at the end of the comprehensive negotiations will be continuation of Cyprus Republic Foreign Minister Huseyin Ozgurgun made a written statement.

Ozgurgun underlined that the Turkish Cypriot side made clear their principles and red lines at the very beginning of the negotiations.

Stating that the aim of the Turkish Cypriot side is to reach a solution which is based on bi-zonality, political equality of two communities, equal status of Turkish Cypriot Founding State and Greek Cypriot Founding State and effective guarantorship of Turkey , Ozgurgun added that the membership of the new state to the international organisations will be revised again.

Foreign Minister Huseyin Ozgurgun underlined that the new partnership state will not be the continuation of the Cyprus Republic, it is totally clear that Turkish Cypriot side will never approve a solution which have that vision. Also it is a dream to think that Turkish Cypriot side will accept an arrangement which would mean the continuation of Greek hegemony or make Turkish Cypriots a minority.

PRIME MINISTER EROGLU WENT TO ISTANBUL

Prime Minister Dervis Eroglu went to Istanbul yesterday in order to give a conference, as a guest of the Marmara Group. Eroglu said that he would attend to give a speech in the meeting held in Yildiz Palace , where distinguished guests would participate.

Prime Minister stated that he would address the latest developments on the Cyprus issue in particular and economic problems of the country.

Stating that he got interview invitations from some TV channels, Eroglu stressed that he could participate in these programmes if he had time. Eroglu added that he would return to the country on Wednesday morning.

WATER SUMMIT STARTED

TALAT: “POTENTIAL WATER RESOURCES MUST BE USED EFFICIENTLY”

A Water Summit has been organized for Supporting Activities that Value the Environment (SAVE) and funded by USAID, started yesterday. The 2-day Water Summit is focusing on ‘Critical Resources, Critical Questions: Focusing on Demand Management to Address Supply Constraints’.

The summit started with the opening speeches by President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Mehmet Ali Talat, American Ambassador Frank Urbancic and SAVE Project Manager Barbara Rossmiller. The Keynote Speech was given by Douglas Clark, Senior Vice-President and Director, Environment and Natural Resources International Resources Group (IRG).

President Talat stressed that the prime necessity in Cyprus was the efficient use of potential water resources as far as possible. Talat added that it had to be known that water users would pay a cost and if someone used water less, would pay less; used more, would pay more.

The summit will tackle critical issues in water management and current water use for all sectors. A series of immediate commitments, short- and medium-term recommendations, and potential policy reforms will be developed through expert panel discussions and interactive working groups.