TRNC News Today – 11^th April

2014

President Eroğlu: “Disregarding the convergences cast doubt of both people on agreement”

President Derviş Eroğlu warned that both people have an understanding for a solution however the Greek Cypriot side plays for time and this can cast doubt of both people on an agreement.

In a statement he made during one of his receptions Eroğlu said that the Greek Cypriot side wants to disregard all issues on which they have a convergence and recorded that this can be evaluated as ‘playing for time’

Pointing out the convergences and agreements made considering the UN parameters before Nikos Anastasiades was elected as the leader of the Greek Cypriot Administration, Eroğlu said: “Disregarding these and starting the negotiations from scratch means waste of time. However both peoples have an understanding that there must be an agreement in Cyprus. Especially Turkish Cypriot people have faith in an agreement soon. This kind of attitude can destroy people’s faith in an agreement.”

Foreign Minister Nami: ‘There is no political will at the negotiation table’

The Minister of Foreign Affairs – Özdil Nami stated that problems experienced during the comprehensive solution negotiations are due to lack of political will and added that both leaders should come together to give the necessary instructions and open the way for negotiations.

FM Nami said that Greek Cypriot side demanded the participation of the EU in the negotiations as a party but this was refused by the Turkish Cypriot side.

Nami expressed that it is not possible to consider the EU representative’s participation as a party in the negotiations as a positive attitude because the Greek side is a member of the EU and they have a say in this representative’s appointment. FM Nami said that negotiation tables have their own psychological atmospheres and these are organized very carefully.

Underlining that neither the EU nor the USA made pressure on the issue of Varosha’s opening before a comprehensive solution in the island, Nami said that current discussion made on the issue of Varosha is whether to start preliminary technical studies or not before a comprehensive solution.

Çavuşoğlu in the TRNC

Turkish Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator – Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu arrived in the TRNC as a guest of the Minister of Foreign Affairs – Özdil Nami.

Welcoming Çavuşoğlu at Ercan Airport, FM Nami said that Çavuşoğlu has fund of knowledge regarding the European Union and Europe in general, and they will benefit from his knowledge during this visit.

In his speech, Çavuşoğlu said that this is his first visit to the TRNC and added: “I hope this visit will be very fruitful with your support”.