TRNC NEWS HEADLINES

SECURITY AND GUARANTEES DISCUSSED

The TRNC President Mehmet Ali Talat and the Greek Cypriot Leader Dimitris Christofias have started their discussions on the chapter of security and guarantees.

The two sides read out their introductory statements on the chapter during yesterday’s discussions.

On his return to the Presidential Palace, President Mehmet Ali Talat told reporters that the objective was to complete the discussions on the chapter next Friday, on the 17th of July, when the two leaders will meet again and the two sides will present their responses to each other’s position.

President Talat said that his senior aide Ozdil Nami and Greek Cypriot adviser Yorgos Yakovou will meet prior to next week’s meeting to take up the details of his discussions with the Greek Cypriot leader.
Earlier, Presidential Spokesperson Hasan Ercakica said that the Turkish Cypriot Side will remain committed to the Treaties of Guarantee and Alliance when negotiating the issue.

PRESIDENT TALAT: “AGREEMENT AT THE END OF 2009”

The President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Mehmet Ali Talat has called on the international community to show more interest to the Cyprus problem.

The President underlined the need for the United Nations and the European Union in its capacity, to get more involved in the process and to demonstrate more interest to the problem at the current phase reached at the negotiations in Cyprus .

The President visited the Republican Turkish Party-United Forces (CTP-BG) headquarters yesterday at the request of the new party leadership to brief them on the continuing peace process.

Before briefing the party leadership, President Talat told reporters that the first phase of the negotiation process launched in September last year – is almost complete.

`Our expectation is to close the chapter on security and guarantees at the meeting to be held next Friday`, he added.

The President said that the conclusion of the talks depends on the Greek Cypriot Side’s attitude but noted that the Turkish Cypriot Side’s objective is to complete the process by the end of 2009.

He said that a referendum is also foreseen before the TRNC Presidential election, which is to be held at the beginning of 2010.

“CRUCIAL QUESTIONS ON TURKISH CYPRIOTS’ PROPERTIES”

The Greek Cypriot newspaper, Politis, stated that European Court of Justice (ECJ) questioned the Greek Cypriot Attorney General whether the rights of Turkish Cypriots on their properties in South Cyprus are violated or not within the framework of the investigation of application made by 10 Turkish Cypriots against the Greek Cypriot Administration and it was stated that the intervention on time of ECJ caused the Greek Cypriot Administration concern.

The newspaper wrote that the First Circuit of ECJ demanded opinion for the observations related with the Trusteeship of Turkish Cypriots’ Properties and whether a satisfactory answer was given to the Turkish Cypriots concerning their properties in South Cyprus . This development occurred on Monday when the First Circuit of ECJ questioned crucial questions to the intervener sides. The compatibility of the legal framework of the Trusteeship with the Human Rights Treaty will be evaluated following the answers to be given.

ECJ bundled total 10 applications made by the Turkish Cypriots between the years 2004-2008 and is trying to determine the compatibilities to the criteria for proceeding to a further investigation and decisional phase following the approval of the applications.