TRNC News Today – 3rd April 2013
EROGLU: “IF THE GREEK SIDE THINKS THAT WE DO NOT HAVE A RIGHT TO UNDERGROUND TREASURES, THIS MEANS THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE EXISTENCE OF TWO SEPARATE STATES”
President Derviş Eroğlu, said: “If the Greek side thinks that the Turkish Cypriots do not have a right to underground treasures, this means the acceptance of the existence of a separate state in the North, as TR Minister of Foreign Affairs Davutoglu said.
According to the statement made by the Presidency, speaking in a program named ‘Dünya Gündemi’ on TRT News channel, Eroğlu stated that sudden reaction of some parties to TR Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmet Davutoglu’s ideas is not right.
Stating that he has known the President of South Cyprus, Nikos Anastasiadis since he had 
been the General President of DISI for many years, President Eroğlu said that,” We had close contacts in the past. I do not wish for any newly elected leader to come across with this kind of crisis”.
Eroğlu highlighted that he called Anastasiadis on the phone to congratulate him the day after the elections and expressed his ideas related to the start of the negotiations. Erğolu continued that
“ANASTASIADIS SAID THE ANNAN PLAN IS NOT AT THE TABLE ANY LONGER”
“Anastasiadis said to us he will be at the negotiation table after sorting the economic crisis out. Of course whenever a leader changes, new hopes come out. A new leader and a new agreement, hope comes out in the South. The only difference of Anastasiadis from the others is saying ‘yes’ to the Annan Plan. He used really 
hard expressions in the partnership declaration signed with DIKO within the election campaign. Therefore we shall see how much he will stick to the partnership certificate at the negotiation table. He is a leader who says that the Annan Plan being rejected with 76% of votes is not on the table for him. So despite everything, I have the idea of starting the negotiations as soon as possible right now”.
Pointing out that by accepting the proposals of Troika, Anastasiadis has lost his prestige, Eroğlu expressed that the Greek Cypriots’ trust has already been broken a little.
Stating that “When this kind of economic problem comes out, the national thoughts also come out more” Eroğlu underlined that Anastasiadis will become the non-comprised side at the table soon.
Pointing out that Anastasiadis has been a politician for many years and knows his public’s sensitivity well; Eroğlu stated that Anastasiadis will not sit at the negotiation table aiming at a solution in a short time.
Saying that in the case of accepting an agreement also for the benefit of the Turkish Cypriots Anastasiadis will experience difficulties in getting the approval of his people, Eroglu continued: “I think that a person, who has lost his popularity, should be a bit harder at the negotiation table and not let time run out. However some parties say that if the Cyprus problem is solved, the economic problems in the South can be solved as well. This can make the Greek Cypriots harder. Burning the Turkish flag by a French person or the strict reply of Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs to Ahmet Davutoglu which was above the diplomatic practice are the factors that worry us.
“DISCOURTESY BY GREEK FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER”
TRNC President Dr. Derviş Eroğlu qualified the letter, written by Greek Foreign Affairs Minister to Turkish Foreign Affairs Minister Davutoğlu and published in the website of the Ministry without forwarding it to the Greek Embassy 
in Ankara, as discourtesy and said “Interstate letters are forwarded through embassies. However Greek Foreign Affairs Minister has not done so”.
Dr. Derviş Eroğlu stated that the statement of Greek Foreign Affairs Ministry on the continuation of the so-called ‘Republic of Cyprus’ gave a message declaring that Greek Cypriots do not have a will for a solution, while searching for a solution in the parameters of the UN on the negotiation table.
Stating that the proposal made by Turkish Foreign Affairs Ministry is a correct proposal, President Eroğlu expressed that, “as Turkish Foreign Affairs Minister Davutoğlu stated, if the Greek Cypriot side does not think that the Turkish Cypriot side has rights on the underground treasures of Cyprus, this will mean that they should accept that there is a separate state in North Cyprus”.
Eroğlu added:
“When we went to New York in September 2011 and in September 2012, we made proposals on natural gas to the UN Secretary General. Especially in our second proposal, we made the proposal of marketing the natural gas to be taken out via Turkey. This natural gas is a treasure which interests both sides and is the right of both peoples. We made the proposal on establishing a committee and taking out this treasure together and establishing a fund for the expenses after a solution. Our second proposal was to market it via Turkey. But, unfortunately, the Greek Cypriot side never accepted this proposal. Mr. Davutoğlu made the proposal of “Let us take out the gas together, or let us compromise.
If we cannot agree and say that resources in the South belong to the South and resources in the North belong to North then we should sit down and discuss a two-state solution. To react abruptly against the opinion of Mr. Davutoğlu is not true. We are on the negotiation table and we make proposals to each other. There should be a time limit. Because the negotiations have been continuing for more than 40 years and an agreement has not been reached. There should be a time limit in our course of action. There are also three states related with Cyprus – Turkey, Greece and the UK. Our proposal is a quintet summit with the participation of these three countries. But the Greek Cypriot side does not accept this. The Greek Foreign Affairs Ministry has mentioned quartet meeting in its letter. They do not favor the existence of the UK on the table. Our proposal is a quintet meeting. Our proposal is the best method but we have not got to that point yet.”
“Former leader Christofias also expressed explicitly that we have right on natural gas. If 
you still mention about the so-called ‘Republic of Cyprus’, then you accept that I have right on natural gas also. When they plan to issue bonds and sell for the natural gas which is not taken out yet I said that they cannot do this. As this is a situation which is accepted by various parties and both people have the right to this natural gas we said that they are trying to sell the natural gas to which we also have the right.”
FOREIGN MINISTER OZGURGUN IN ANKARA
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Huseyin Ozgurgun has 
gone to Ankara, Turkey to give a conference themed ‘Cyprus Issue’ at Karabük University.
According to the statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the conference will be realized at 14:30 today (3rd April). Ozgurgun will also meet with the diplomacy correspondents on 4th April, Thursday and evaluate the latest developments in Cyprus.
Ozgurgun is expected to return on Thursday night.
Source: TRNC Public Information Office
Eroğlu makes a very interesting point here and one worth making but it will make not an iota of difference. South Cyprus have long convinced themselves that any settlement that concedes even 1% less than what they believe is their right which is 100% of the island and any wealth thereof, is ground lost. They have convinced much of the world of their case too. They still forget that they were the defeated entity when 1974 is considered yet still they plead as though they are the injured party. Now, with regard to the Annan Plan being no longer on the table, this is fairly obvious. The late president Denktas made it clear that the ‘Plan’ (all 9000 pages of it) was bad for Turkish Cypriots whilst the ‘dark-sider’s’ claim that it had Ankara’s hand in it and ultimately voted it down. A final point concerning the TC suggested quintet summit: South Cyprus refuse to accept the UK as being a party to the proposed talks yet they also plead that the RoC remains as per its creation in which case Britain is integral to that as a Guarantor Power (London Zurich Accords 1959) so once again, they(south Cyprus) cannot have it both ways. The best thing to come out of any negotiations is to agree to differ, recognise each other and trade with each other and the rest of the world, but that is, of course, too easy and simple to contemplate whilst anathema to the Greek side and their church in particular!