TRNC News Today 22nd January

PRESIDENT EROĞLU: “PROPERTY ISSUE IS THE LAST THING TO BE DISCUSSED AT THE NEGOTIATION TABLE”

President Eroğlu reiterated that the issue of property is the last thing to be discussed at the negotiation table.

After being reminded that there are worries about the reinstitution of Yeşilırmak village, in a reception President Eroğlu said yesterday that the issue of property is the last thing to be discussed at the negotiation table.

Stating that they have not started the negotiations with the Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Anastasiades however he discussed these with old leader Dimitris Christofias for two years Eroğlu said: “the issue of property was not on the table during this process.”

The President also recorded that a referendum will be held before a possible solution and the people will give the final decision.

ÖZDİL NAMİ: “LEADERS CAN START NEGOTIATIONS INSTEAD OF WRITING LETTERS”

Indicating that both leaders have sent letters to the UN Secretary General, Foreign Minister Nami added: “Instead of writing letters they must come together and solve the problems and start the comprehensive solution negotiations demanded by both communities without any delay”

Nami visited Cyprus Turkish Secondary Education Teachers Association (KTOEÖS) yesterday within the framework of his contacts with the non-governmental organizations aimed at informing them about the negotiations.

Expressing that exchanging views with KTOEÖS was very important for establishing a policy related to the Cyprus issue, Nami said that the government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs gave importance to establishing their policy with the people.

Recording that the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General – Alexander Downer met with Special Representatives of both leaders last week and discussed the issue of deadlock in the joint statement, Nami said that both leaders sent letters to the UN Secretary General.

Stating that both communities demand launching of comprehensive negotiations Nami said that besides the period from which Turkey is passing, the EU process and the issue of natural resources around the island, the joint statement has been carried to a very high importance and we should not think that a few problems related to the statement cannot be solved.

Nami indicated that it is the responsibility of all politicians to solve these problems quickly and start the negotiation process.

Stressing that the Turkish Cypriot side has followed a more constructive attitude and the Greek leader has behaved more hesitantly, Nami said that the process will be speeded up if this is overcome.

Nami said that the present situation is the first step of the process and added that overcoming this situation would not mean that the problem is solved.

Nami added that the struggle towards the solution process will be made together with the people.

FOREIGN MINISTER RECEIVES ASSOCIATION OF CYPRUS TURKISH UNIVERSITY WOMEN

The Minister of Foreign Affairs – Özdil Nami said that they give importance to the international contacts of the Association of Cyprus Turkish University Women and said that international contacts should not be limited to the political level and Non Governmental Organizations have great importance at that point.

Nami received the President of Association of Cyprus Turkish University Women – Ferdiye Ersoy and her accompanying delegation yesterday.

During the meeting, Ersoy said that they follow and appreciate the active foreign policy and international contacts of Foreign Minister Nami.

Nami stressed that as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, they are ready to give all kinds of support to Non Governmental Organizations regarding the issue.

PRIME MINISTER ERDOĞAN: ‘WE HAVE NOT HEARD SUCH A PROPOSAL’

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and EP President Schulz organized a press meeting. In his speech, Erdoğan mentioned the proposal for withdrawal of the Turkish soldiers and said: ‘We have not heard such a proposal’.

In his reply to a question during the press meeting, Turkish PM Erdogan said ‘South Cyprus has not any right to represent the whole of Cyprus. This is against the legal Acquis. If there is such an authority, why would it be necessary to have such meetings? Unfortunately, they want to convict North Cyprus by force. Why did we hold meetings in Switzerland? South Cyprus’ accession to the EU is political’.

ÖZGÜRGÜN REACTS TO AGREEMENT REGARDING BRITISH BASES

The Leader of Main Opposition Party National Unity Party (UBP) Hüseyin Özgürgün evaluated the agreement signed between South Cyprus and the UK which opened ways for selling the territories left at the British bases and for their becoming zoned for construction as an ‘injustice’ made on the Turkish Cypriot people.

In a written statement he made yesterday Özgürgün said:“It is not possible to give any meaning to the UK’s support to the Greek Cypriot leader Anastasiades who drags his feet and made the joint statement a precondition for the start of the negotiations, by ignoring the rights of the Turkish Cypriot people.”

Source: TRNC Public Information Office