TRNC News Today 5th February 2015

Çavuşoğlu: “Greek side should return to the table”

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey – Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu answered the questions of Channel 7 Ankara representative Mehmet Acet’s questions on Ülke TV and touched on the issues of relations with Greece and the Cyprus problem.

Regarding theGreek Cypriot side leaving the negotiation table, Çavuşoğlu said that primarily Greeks should be determined for a solution in Cyprus. Noticing that the Greek Cypriot Leader Nikos Anastasiades should stop hiding behind the Annan plan, Çavuşoğlu said “Anastasiades should return to the table, the Annan plan has passed, he should stop hiding behind it.”

Referring to the natural gas exploration activities in the Eastern Mediterranean, Çavuşoğlu said that it is not possible to apply the steps taken in the region by excluding Turkey, adding “We will not tolerate this, sale of the natural gas and petrol taken out from here will be over Turkey, our suggestions are fair”.

Indicating that Turkey is ready to give all kind of support to collaborate with the new government of Greece, Çavuşoğlu said: “Greece’s stabilizing economically and politically will be beneficial for us for solving problems and Cyprus negotiations”. Çavuşoğlu also indicated that he has sent a letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece and will make a phone call to him in the next few days.

Ertuğ reacts to statements of Kutras

Presidential spokesman Osman Ertuğ said that Greek Foreign Ministry spokesman – Konstandinos Kutras’ statement “There is a single State in Cyprus” was a denial of the reality and towards ignoring the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which was established with the free will of the Turkish Cypriot people.

In his written statement made yesterday, Ertuğ said: “Mr. Kutras is mixing up the presence of a state with the political subject recognition to each other on purpose and trying to impose on us the so called ‘Cyprus Republic’ from which they exclude Turkish Cypriots by force of arms and extorted in 1963”.

Expressing that despite the change of Government in Greece, this type of monopolistic statement shows that Greece’s policy about Cyprus hasn’t changed, Ertuğ said “However, we expected more constructive approaches from the new government”.

Furthermore, Ertug said that the Greek Foreign Ministry spokesman was reacting to Eroglu’s statements that there were two equal and sovereign sides on the island; however this kind of action was a violation of the spirit of the joint statement.

Ertuğ also expressed “The New Greek Government should respect the Joint Statement and convince the Greek Cypriot side to return to the negotiation table without precondition”.

TDP Delegation in UK

Communal Democracy Party (TDP) delegation consisting of TDP leader – Cemal Özyiğit, Famagusta MP – Hüseyin Angolemli, Deputy Secretary General Responsible for Foreign Affairs Deniz Birinci are continuing their official contacts in the UK.

According to the statement of TDP press office, within the framework of the programme, after meeting various groups of deputies from UK parliament, the TDP delegation also attended the conference organized in the Parliament as a speaker the day before.

Furthermore, it was stated that the delegation attended the panel organized by TDP London Solidarity Association at the Turkish Cypriot Community Centre for evaluating recent developments in Cyprus yesterday.

Today, the TDP delegation will be guests of various media organizations and will meet  with Turkish Cypriots living in England at a dinner meeting. The TDP delegation will return to the island on Saturday.

Nicosia Economic Forum gathered in Athens

“Nicosia Economic Forum” composed of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce (KTTO), Greek Cypriot Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Greece Union of Chambers, Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey held their 3rd meeting in Athens yesterday.

The importance of resumption of the negotiation process was stressed in the final declaration of the forum.

According to the written statement of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce, in his speech, the head of the Greece Union of Chambers and host of Nicosia Economic Forum meeting Konstantin Michalos said that their aim is to make contribution to the solution of the Cyprus problem with this activity.

The forum ended with discussion talks about the agenda and publishing the final declaration.

In the final declaration, it was stated “The current deadlock is not beneficial for both sides.  The Forum highlights commitment to the importance of resumption of the negotiation process. We also believe that the negotiations should be done in an environment that will result in a constructive setting and should be in a way to bring peace and prosperity to Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean to reach a win-win scenario.”

Source: TRNC Public Information Office –

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