TRNC News Today 9th October
PRESIDENT EROĞLU: “OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE A REFERENDUM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE”
President Derviş Eroğlu, pointed out during a program on Bayrak Radio & Television that they were aiming to have a referendum in March 2014 and underlined their main goal is to reach a settlement as soon as possible.
President Derviş Eroğlu noting that it was high time to reach a solution on the Cyprus issue said “the Turkish Cypriot side is ready to sit at the negotiation table immediately for reaching a settlement ”.
Eroğlu noted “ the Cyprus issue, after a long static period, is now on the agenda of the two sides as well as the world” and underlined that they were trying to bring the Greek Cypriot leader to the negotiation table.
President Eroğlu pointing out that it was Downer’s sensitivity to hold a joint statement on the joint text, on which the Special Representatives of both sides were working, stressed that the two sides were still working on it, but the Turkish Cypriot side did not consider the joint text as a pre-condition for the start of the negotiations. President Derviş Eroğlu explained that it was more important to restart the negotiations and try to have a result.
Eroğlu, stating that he has had long meetings with the US Ambassador and US Department of State Deputy Assistant Secretary recently, said “ What they have expressed is that this problem belonged to Cypriots and the Cypriots will solve it. They also expressed that whenever we needed help they were ready to assist. What they have demanded from the two sides is to solve this problem without further delay.”
BAGIS: “SOLUTION OF CYPRUS PROBLEM IS IMPORTANT FOR THE WORLD”
Informing the press on Monday, 7th October at the Turkish Embassy in Athens regarding his visit to Greece, Turkish Minister for European Union Affairs and Chief Negotiator, Egemen Bagıs, also touched upon the Cyprus issue.
Stating a belief that a comprehensive solution in the island would not only be important for the Turkish and Greek Cypriots as well as the guarantor countries; Turkey, Greece and the UK but also would be important for world peace, Bagıs said: “We had supported the Annan Plan even if we did not like it very much, because it was certain that a solution had a cost. However the cost of the unsettlement was higher than the cost of a solution”.
Expressing that the Greek Cypriot politicians could not perceive this case, Bagıs continued: “If the Annan Plan had been accepted in due time as it was also defended by Anastasiadis, Cyprus would have been the most prosperous country of the EU today.” Bagıs added: “The election of Anastasiadis by the Greek Cypriot people should be considered as an apology not only from Anastasiadis, but also from everyone who made great efforts for the Annan Plan”.
Source: TRNC Public Information Office
