TRNC News Today 2nd October 2013
FOREIGN MINISTER NAMİ: “NEGOTIATION PROCESS WILL SUCCEED”
Minister of Foreign Affairs Özdil Nami, who was in New York last week within the framework of the 68th Session of the UN General Assembly, evaluated his contacts to the Turkish Cypriot daily “Kıbrıs” and expressed the belief that the negotiation process would succeed.
Foreign Minister Nami stated that the negotiations might not start in October, because the Greek Cypriot side did not put forward a view towards the resumption of the negotiations from where they were left. Pointing out that it was not possible to respond positively to the Greek Cypriot side’s demands regarding active involvement of the EU in the negotiation process and the return of Maraş (Varosha), Foreign Minister Nami said, furthermore the Greek Cypriot side’s demand for an intensive preparation period before the start of the negotiations was unnecessary, as there was sufficient background as a result of the 40 years long negotiation process.
Reminding that March 2014, it would be the 50th anniversary of the UN’s involvement in the Cyprus problem, Foreign Minister Nami said: “The first UN Security Council Resolution was adopted in March 1964. Now, we are approaching to March 2014, and everyone perceives this as an indication that it’s time for the Cyprus problem to be finalised”.
Explaining that there were some disagreements between the two sides and they had the opportunity to convey their views on eliminating them to the UN Secretary General in New York, Nami said: “The Turkish Cypriot side requests the negotiations to reach a rapid result. For this, we believe that it is necessary to maintain the convergences achieved up to today and to compromise on the remaining divergences by taking into consideration the existing convergences”.
Referring to Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Anastasiadis’ letter sent to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Foreign Minister Nami said, by mentioning the active involvement of the EU in the negotiations, Anastasiadis was trying to add new elements which would change the rules of the game and by this way was making a reference to the return of Maraş to the Greek Cypriot side before a solution. Nami expressed the belief that such attempts would make the negotiation process difficult.
Stating that the Greek Cypriot side also mentioned opening the way of direct negotiations with Turkey by disregarding the Turkish Cypriot side, Nami said it was not possible for the EU to sit at the negotiation table. The Foreign Minister reminded that the Greek Cypriot side and Greece had full EU membership and right to vote, whereas the Turkish Cypriots and Turkey neither had the EU membership, nor the right to vote. Nami underlined that this unbalanced situation was in itself an impeding condition for a representative of the EU to sit at the negotiation table with increased power.
Foreign Minister Nami noted that on the other hand, the sides which would carry out the negotiations were defined by the UN and this was the conduct of inter-communal negotiations under the supervision of the UN Secretary General.
Stressing that everyone was talking about result-orientated negotiations and a consistent planning was needed for this, Foreign Minister Nami said both sides have been working on the joint text to be announced by the leaders and if the text could be shaped next week, a positive impression would be created.
Emphasizing that a solution of the Cyprus problem would bring important economic gains for both Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots, Nami referred to; saving on military expenditures, maximum benefit from energy transmission lines, use of water to be transferred from Turkey for the benefit of the whole island. He also underlined the added value that will be created in agriculture and tourism sectors henceforth for the whole island; new horizons to be opened in the maritime sector; investment climate, which will be created as a result of the country getting out of this extraordinary situation and becoming a normal EU member and said: “In other words, when we put all these together, it will be possible to talk about a much more prosperous Cyprus”.
TURKISH PRESIDENT GÜL: “CYPRUS PROBLEM MUST BE SOLVED”
Turkish President Abdullah Gül, addressing the Turkish Parliamentarians on the occasion of the commencement of the 4th Legislative Year of the 24th Term of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, said that the Cyprus issue, which has been ongoing for almost 50 years, must be resolved.
Gül continued:
“The parameters for resolving the conflict are well-known. It is essential that there is no delay in conducting direct talks between the two communities in order to reach a comprehensive settlement based on these parameters. On the other hand, we know from experience that open-ended talks do not produce any results. The process to be initiated will be a test of sincerity for everyone involved. Turkey, as we have always done, will support all diplomatic efforts for a fair and lasting peace on the island and will maintain utmost solidarity with the brotherly Turkish people in Northern Cyprus.”
ANASTASIADES: “A FEDERAL STATE IS INEVITABLE”
Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades said that the Cypriot state that was created in 1960, has run its course and what was needed now was to build a new state model that would respond to the new era.
According to the Greek Cypriot media reports, Anastasiades said that the evolution of the so-called Republic of Cyprus into a federal state entity, even if it was once considered to be a painful compromise, had become ‘an inevitable national need’ today.
Anastasiades, in his message issued on the eve of the 53rd Anniversary of the so-called Cyprus Republic, referred to building a new country, which would be European, united, robust and safe and an agent of peace and stability in the region. Anastasiades said that their goal was to reach such a reunification that would allow all the European Cypriots to live in peace without deprivation of human rights, universal values and principles.
Source: TRNC public Information Office
