TRNC News Today 17th September 2013

EROĞLU: “IT IS TIME FOR A SOLUTION”

 President Dervis Eroğlu said that it is time for a solution in the island but the Greek Cypriot side is not willing for a solution.

During a TV program, President Eroğlu said that negotiations should not be open-ended and stressed that the Greek Cypriot church and leadership have great effect on the opinions of Greek Cypriots. ‘Firstly, the education system should be changed. We cannot reach a solution if Greek Cypriot leaders continue to express as: ‘We will return to pre-1974 and everyone will return to their homes’ the President added.

Moreover, underlining that the Greek Cypriot leaders should reflect the realities to their people, President Eroğlu indicated that there are two different peoples in Cyprus and it is possible for them to live in peace together.

“ANASTASIADIS COULD NOT GIVE THE COMMITMENT I GAVE”

Reminding that he was announced as an ‘intransigent’ before being a president, President Eroğlu stressed that as soon as he became the President, he sent a letter to the UN Secretary General in which he expressed his wish to reach a settlement and continue negotiations from the stage left. Today, Greek Cypriot leader Anastasiadis does not give a commitment to continue negotiations from where we left. If he gives a commitment, we can reach a settlement by the middle of next year.

President Eroglu stressed that negotiations have been continuing since 1968 and within this period, the UN Secretary General offered 3 suggestions for a solution but all of these suggestions were refused by the Greek Cypriot side.  We, as the Turkish Cypriot side, consider that it is time for a solution and desire a solution in the island but the Greek Cypriots should also be willing for a solution. Otherwise, negotiations may continue for many years.

“NEGOTIATIONS SHOULD NOT BE EXTENDED”

Drawing attention that open-ended negotiations will only be for the benefit of the side which wants to save time, Eroğlu stated that the Greek Cypriot side is on the side of open-ended negotiations.

Reminding that he told the then Greek Cypriot leader Christofias that in the case of extending the negotiations, people who expect an agreement to be realized will be disappointed, The President continued: “The number of people who believe in an agreement is decreasing as the negotiations are extending. This should not be ignored because generations are changing”.

“WHAT IS TO BE FOUNDED IS A NEW STATE”

Explaining that while trying to reach a solution on the Cyprus issue nothing can be reached by only expressing a bi-zonal, bi-communal federal solution based on political equality, President Eroğlu said: “These ideas should be supported”.

Stating that when Anastasiadis’s statements in the press are considered, Dervis Eroglu believed that, ‘a person who desires an agreement cannot talk in this way’, Eroğlu continued: “Anastasiadis wants the Republic of Cyprus to continue, but if we reach an agreement a new State will be founded by the two sides’ authorities. They do not intend to give up the idea of protecting the Republic of Cyprus. This was also mentioned by the then Greek Cypriot leader Papadopoulos the night before the Annan Plan referendum. So how will we reach an agreement? How can we set a new partnership?

“THERE IS A WILL TO PLAY FOR TIME”

Stating that in his letter to Anastasiadis Eroğlu asked him whether he accepted 77 pages long convergence documents, Eroğlu said:”He however, talked about different issues in his reply. I also sent these letters and all the letters I have written and received so far to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and to the current Foreign Minister. In his reply, Anastasiadis put forward his idea to play for time.”

“I AM HIS COUNTERPART”

Reminding that Anastasiadis wanted the EU and Turkey to join the negotiations in his last statement, Eroğlu stated: “In my opinion the reason of Anastasiadis’s using Downer as a mediator and conveying his ideas to Davutoglu and considering Turkey as a counterpart, is that he wants to give a message to the world that the reason of conflict in Cyprus is Turkey. I am his counterpart”.

Reminding that in the past he offered a quintet meeting with the participation of the three guarantors and two sides and convinced the UN Secretary-General to accept it, The President said: “But the Greek Cypriot side does not want to accept it”.

“REQUEST OF GIVING A CONFERENCE AT GREEK CYPRIOT UNIVERSITY”

Upon being asked “If they asked you to explain the Cyprus problem to the Greek Cypriot people, would you do it?”, Eroğlu replied: “Yesterday  while chatting with friends at Küçük Kaymaklı Sports Club two Greek Cypriots came to ask about an address. One of them said he is a Rector at the Cyprus University. He was surprised when he saw me and we had a chat. Then he said they are planning to organize a conference on the Cyprus issue at the university and he is thinking of inviting me as a speaker. So I said okay.

“WHY DO WE ENJOY TO BLAME OURSELVES”

Reminding that Anastasiadis is the 7^th President and none of the other presidents has signed any solution agreement so far, Eroğlu said: “We say Eroğlu does not want an agreement. We believe in this and give this message to the world. Why do we enjoy to blame ourselves?

Stressing that he is on the side of an agreement, Dervis Eroğlu continued:

“I inherited the Cyprus problem as a heritage. When I was elected as the new Prime Minister, I wished the Cyprus problem would be solved by my children. But time passes. And the problem has not been solved yet. It is my aim to solve the problem. Everybody should know that it is Greek Cypriot side who sits on the negotiation table with the intention of not compromising. In his memories, Mr. Klerides wrote ‘we sat on the negotiation table for reaching an agreement but we could not. We made the  Turkish Cypriot side to sit at the negotiation table for years but we could not sign any agreement’.

Replying to the question “whether the political parties make proposals or not”, the President said that he is open to any proposals made.

President Eroğlu also spoke about the visit to New York and continued as follows:

“Yesterday we sent Mr. Osman Ertuğ to New York. He will make contacts there. Moreover there are meetings of Islamic countries in New York every September. Our Foreign Affairs Minister is invited to these meetings every year. Mr Hüseyin Özgürgün could go there only once. Our New York representative attended the next meetings. Now, Mr. Özdil Nami will come with me. He will also attend these meetings.”

NAMI RECEIVED FIELD

TRNC Foreign Affairs Minister Özdil Nami has received a member of the UK House of Commons, Conservative Party MP Christopher Mark Field.

Source : TRNC Public Information Office