TRNC News Today 28th October 2013

FOREIGN MINISTER NAMİ RECEIVES US AMBASSADOR TO CYPRUS, KOENIG

Minister of Foreign Affairs Özdil Nami received United States Ambassador to Cyprus on Friday (25 October 2013) at the Ministry.

During the meeting, Nami and Koenig discussed the positions of the Turkish Cypriot side and the United States on the Cyprus issue. Foreign Minister Nami also explained the Turkish Cypriot side’s expectations with regard to the role the US could play in the solution of the Cyprus problem.

Conveying the Turkish Cypriot side’s views on the joint statement text to Koenig, Nami stressed that the problems preventing the resumption of the negotiation process should be overcome through conciliation between the two sides, so that the negotiations could start at the leaders’ level as soon as possible.

For his part, John Koenig evaluated the latest phase reached in the negotiation process, listened to the views of the Turkish Cypriot side and exchanged views with Foreign Minister Nami on how the current deadlock could be overcome.

FOREIGN MINISTER NAMİ RECEIVES CYPRUS TURKISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE DELEGATION

Minister of Foreign Affairs Özdil Nami received a delegation from the Cyprus Turkish Chamber of Commerce (KTTO) headed by Günay Çerkez on Friday (25 October 2013).

Speaking during the meeting, Günay Çerkez explained the developments and problems with regard to the Green Line Regulation and underlined the need for working in close co-operation with the Foreign Ministry in relation to the political aspects of these issues.

For his part, Foreign Minister Nami pointed out that he noted down the issues conveyed to him and was ready to make every contribution possible.

Nami reassured the KTTO that his Ministry would be working in close co-operation with them.

ERTUĞ: “NEGOTIATIONS CANNOT RESUME BECAUSE OF MAXIMALIST THESIS OF GREEK CYPRIOT SIDE’

Special Representative of President Derviş Eroğlu and Presidential Spokesman Osman Ertuğ gave a message to the Greek Cypriot side that including issues subject to the solution ground in the joint statement were inappropriate in the joint statement but resumption of the negotiations was possible without a joint statement.

In an interview to the Greek Cypriot newspaper Kathimerini on Sunday 27.10.2013, Ertuğ answered the question ‘why the resumption date of negotiations has not been determined up to today’ and said: “Unfortunately, the Greek Cypriot side puts preconditions for the resumption of negotiations.” Ertuğ continued:

“The Greek Cypriot side wants a joint statement, puts forward the issue of the returning of Varosha and proposes the transformation of the Republic of Cyprus into a federation. However, the Turkish Cypriot side accepted a joint statement in the beginning, stressing that it should be short and focused on the method of negotiations. On the contrary, the Greek Cypriot side proposes to include the issues that primarily should be discussed at the negotiation table in the joint statement. However, the negotiations are not a new procedure and the ground has been already determined. There is no reason to discuss this issue again. It is possible for the Turkish Cypriot side to resume the negotiations without the precondition of a joint statement. Even the statement should not be a condition for the meeting of leaders.”

Upon a question regarding the conflicting points in the joint statement Ertuğ said:  “The Greek Cypriot side wants to include the issues that should be discussed at the negotiation table in the joint statement.”

Ertuğ added: “We submitted a draft joint statement which took both sides’ difficulties into consideration. The Greek Cypriot side answered by submitting maximalist texts. In spite of that, we approached the issue in a reconciliatory manner. Unfortunately, the Greek Cypriot side is continuing to insist on their thesis. Therefore, the negotiations cannot resume”

Upon being asked when he will visit Athens and Mavroyannis will visit Ankara, Osman Ertuğ said:

 “Turkey has taken important steps for these visits and proposed Greece to carry out them at the level of ministers before the Bayram. However, Greece proposed the visits to be made at the level of Undersecretaries after the Bayram. Based on the proposal of Athens, we reached an agreement to make the visits at the level of Undersecretaries on 23rd October. However, the visits could not be held and we decided at the meeting with Mavroyannis to make these visits before end of the month. From now on, everything depends on the Greek Cypriot side and Greece”.

Replying to the question “what is the aim of your visit to Athens?” Ertuğ said “First of all, we have to clarify that the solution of the problem  depends on the Turkish and Greek Cypriot sides.  Guarantor powers and motherlands can contribute to this effort. Both sides should not use this opportunity for giving political messages to their own communities.”

Osman Ertuğ continued: “Election of Mr. Anastasiadis established a positive atmosphere in the international community concerning the solution of the Cyprus problem. Unfortunately, Mr. Anastasiadis has not taken any positive steps in the last 6 months. He spent 6 months for appointing his representative and now he adopts a maximalist attitude regarding the joint statement. Mr. Downer stated that consensus reached by the two sides was up to 70-80%. The greatest problem in the current period is the refusal of this consensus by the Greek Cypriot side. We have to discuss all issues again because of this attitude. We understand that each side has a completely different thesis in 6 chapters. However, these should be discussed at the negotiation table.”

Upon being reminded that the Greek Cypriot side continues to give high importance to the issue of Varosha Ertuğ said: “As you know, we submitted several proposals concerning Varosha in the past but the Greek Cypriot side refused them. The issue of Varosha should be discussed together with the issue of territory within the framework of a comprehensive solution.”

 Source: TRNC Public Information Office