TRNC News Today – 7^th May 2014

Yorgancıoğlu: “If the Cyprus problem is solved, everybody will benefit”

Prime Minister Özkan Yorgancıoğlu said “if the Cyprus problem is solved, everybody will benefit but if it is not solved, it will be a permanent wound”.

Yorgancıoğlu added that the Cyprus problem has become a problem which concerns not only the Turkish and Greek Cypriots but the regional countries and the whole world as well.

During a reception yesterday, mentioning that Turkey’s decisive and insistent attitude is pleasing, Yorgancıoğlu said “I hope the Leaders cover a distance during the negotiations. International actors are very interested and encouraging and this offers us an important opportunity”.

President Eroğlu: “We wish to reach a viable and permanent agreement”

President Derviş Eroğlu stated that Turkish Cypriot side wishes to reach a viable and permanent agreement in Cyprus.

During a reception, the President said that the Turkish Cypriot side has been trying to reach an agreement in Cyprus for years and if the Greek Cypriots put forth their will for an agreement, it will be possible to reach an agreement.

Moreover, adding that we as the Turkish Cypriot side expressed our will to reach an agreement within a year, Eroğlu said that Greek Cypriot side pointed out the year of 2015 and added that in the current stage, the Turkish Cypriot people are ready for an agreement which will satisfy them.

Substantial negotiations have started

It was stated that substantial negotiations have started to find a settlement in Cyprus. During the negotiations, mutual proposals have started to be submitted regarding the issues on which convergences have not been provided yet.

Negotiation delegations who came together in the buffer zone at the UN residence yesterday submitted a total of 5 proposals mutually on the issues of ‘Property, Public Service Commission and Federal Powers”.

Turkish Cypriot negotiator – Özersay stated that they negotiated the proposals submitted mutually, discussed the issue of property and territorial arrangements yesterday.

Moreover, Özersay added that the second tour cross visit of Mavroyannis and himself to Ankara and Athens will be on the agenda at the end of May or at the beginning of June.

Referring to claims that the issue of Varosha was discussed during a meeting with United Nations Under-Secretary General for Political Affairs – Jeffrey Feltman, Özersay stressed that the issue of Varosha was not brought to the agenda by Feltman.