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Statement by the Presidential Spokesperson Mr. Hasan Ercakica

“The position employed by the Turkish Cypriot side shook the status quo in the Greek Cypriot side”

Presidential Spokesman Mr. Hasan Erçakıca said that the position of the Turkish Cypriot side which supports a solution has shaken the status quo of the Greek Cypriot side.

In the weekly press conference, Erçakıca said that Greek Cypriot political party EDEK’s decision to withdraw its support from the government can be interpreted as the intolerance of the extremists or those who are not in favor of peace to the progress achieved in the negotiation process.

Stating that this recent development might cause some delays in the short term but it might also enable the Greek Cypriot side to decide more easily on some matters in the long term, Erçakıca reminded that EDEK has been against a solution for many years now and has employed a position in favor of the continuation of the status quo. Erçakıca added that the fact that such elements have now moved away from the government must have relieved Mr. Christofias’s mind in terms of the steps that could be taken towards a solution.

Saying that progress has been achieved in the negotiation process and now the time has come to a stage where decisions should be made, Erçakıca stated that as the time to make decisions approaches, the status quo in the Greek Cypriot side began to crack and the current political storm in the Greek Cypriot side is an indication of this fact.

Stating that the Turkish Cypriot side needs, despite everything, a counterpart Erçakıca said “If there will be a serious negotiation process, it is important that you have a consistent, serious and dependable counterpart”. Wishing that the political storm in the Greek Cypriot side ends, the new balances are established and the Greek Cypriot side focuses its attention on the efforts of reaching a solution for the Cyprus problem as soon as possible, Erçakıca added that Turkey’s support is also continuing during this process.

Negotiations will continue

Erçakıca said that it was underlined in the statements made after UN Secretary-General’s visit to Cyprus last week that the negotiations will continue. Erçakıca also reminded that in the statement he made in New York, Mr. Ban- ki Moon said that the leaders have promised him on the matter. Mr. Erçakıca said that the position of the Turkish Cypriot side is towards that direction as well, therefore, Mr. Ban’s statement might be interpreted as “the announcement of the promise of the Greek Cypriot side”.

Erçakıca said that Special aide to President Mr. Talat, Mr. Özdil Nami has been maintaining his contacts with the UN Secretary General’s Special Advisor Mr. Alexander Downer but in spite of this no date has yet been set for the next step of the negotiations. Erçakıca added that the UN is awaiting a response from the Greek Cypriot side.

“There can always be concern”

Responding to a question whether President Mr. Talat is concerned that the negotiations will not be successful, Erçakıca said “There can always be concern. We have voiced our concerns from time to time over the problems created by the fact that such extremist elements are in the government and stated that the Greek Cypriot side should not be a slave to those elements. However, as you all know, there are two parties which employ, more or less, a position in favor of a solution. Therefore, the Greek Cypriot side needs to take an initiative for a solution as it is crystal clear that the maintenance of the status quo in Cyprus is not sustainable and it is not beneficial to any one.”