Ertuğruloğlu: “The Negotiation process within present UN parameters has ended, and a new process can only begin on the basis of equality”
Minister of Foreign Affairs Tahsin Ertugruloğlu has said that the only parties responsible for the failure of the Cyprus Conference in Crans-Montana, the culmination of a 50 year negotiation process, were the Greek Cypriot side, and Greece. He said, “We don’t have any more time to be stolen and lost. This process which has been continuing within the present parameters set by the UN has ended.”
Minister of Foreign Affairs Tahsin Ertugruloğlu was responding to questions on the Cyprus problem during a program on BRT television.
Ertuğruloğlu stressed that statements saying “the Cyprus Conference in Switzerland ended in failure” and “The 50 year negotiation process has ended in failure” are two different things.
He said that these two statements should be well acknowledged, because the Greek Cypriot side and some other parties are claiming that while Conference was unsuccessful, they are ready to continue from where it was left off with the same parameters”. Ertuğruloğlu said that this was a serious mistake and a deception.
Ertuğruloğlu indicated that it was not just the Cyprus Conference which ended in failure in Crans-Montana, but also 50 year long negotiations, as well as the negotiation process within the framework of the UN parameters such as the bi-zonal and bi-communal federal solution based on political equality. Ertuğruloğlu added that he does not mean that these parameters are bad, but that the processes within these parameters had no chance of success.
Ertuğruloğlu said that it is very dangerous and wrong to continue negotiations just for the sake of ‘keeping the 50 year long negotiations ongoing’. Ertuğruloğlu recorded the following:
“Diplomacy will be kept alive in every way. What is important is to determine the main target and parameters of the new negotiation process. If this is not determined in a healthy way, it will not be possible to find a solution. What is criticized in these parameters is Greek Cypriot side’s unwillingness for a solution. We have no equality in these parameters. If equality was protected on an UN-led basis, the Greek Cypriot side would not be alone in being a member of the UN”.
Expressing that the Turkish side, and especially Turkey, conducted a very successful process in Crans-Montana, Ertuğruloğlu said the Turkish Cypriot efforts together with Turkey were received positively by UN, the EU and the UK. Ertuğruloğlu stressed that the negotiation process failed due to the uncompromising attitude of the Greek Cypriot side, insisting on a “0 troops, 0 guarantees” arrangement.
Stressing that a solution is not possible in these parameters, Ertuğruloğlu said “the 50 year negotiation process has ended. If equality is requested, this should be seen at the negotiation table. In other words, negotiations should be held state to state”.
Ertuğruloğlu criticised the statement by the UN Secretary General’s Special Advisor on Cyprus, Espen Barth Eide that the outcome of the Conference was a ‘common failure’ by all sides. He said that this statement was an injustice for the Turkish Cypriots, because the process has failed entirely due to the Greek Cypriot side’s uncompromising attitude. Ertuğruloğlu also noted that the EU and UN are not objective in Cyprus.
Furthermore, stressing that the Greek Cypriot side should take into consideration the warnings of the Turkish Cypriot side and Turkey on the natural gas issue, Minister Ertuğruloğlu said that the Greek Cypriot side’s statement, “We will give money in case of a solution” is an insult to the Turkish Cypriot people. He explained that the Turkish Cypriot claim was not based on money, but having rights to the natural gas.
Ertuğruloğlu stated that the main aim of the Greek Cypriot side is to remove Turkey’s presence completely from the island, and breaking relations with the Turkish Cypriots. Ertuğruloğlu underlined that the Turkish Cypriots understand the value of 20th July 1974 when we achieved peace in the island, and 15 November 1983, when the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was established.
Hüdaoğlu: Greek Cypriot side “doesn’t care about finding a solution”
Presidential Undersecretary Gürdal Hüdaoğlu has indicated that the reason the Cyprus Conference in Crans-Montana failed is the insistence of the Greek Cypriot side in staying out of the framework put forward by the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
Speaking on a TV program at BRTK, Presidential Undersecretary Gürdal Hüdaoğlu said that the Turkish Cypriot side has been working constructively and with good intentions towards finding a solution to the problem for the last two years, and had been pushing the process forward towards a positive outcome.
Indicating that Turkish Cypriot side demonstrated the same attitude in Crans-Montana, Hüdaoğlu said that the Greek Cypriot administration did not adopt a helpful policy at the conference. Hüdaoğlu said: “The Greek Cypriot side went to Crans Montana in order to pave the way for the Cyprus problem to continue forever, and to gain evidence for empowering propaganda that the Greek side is not responsible for the failure to find a solution.. Now they are trying to steer communications towards this direction, however the reality will come to light sooner or later.”
Hüdaoğlu said that the Greek Cypriot side has been trying to create a perception that the only source of the problem was the issue of Guarantees, however in 4 issues out of 5, the Greek Side remained out of the frame.
TRNC Gliding Model Plane National Team becomes European champion
The TRNC Gliding Model Airplane National Team, which competed on behalf of Turkey’s National Team due to the international embargoes imposed on the TRNC, has become champion at the F3J Gliding Model Plane European Championship organized in Martin, Slovakia.
The team has achieved great success at international arena.
Doğukan Ulaç wins silver in the Samsung Boğaziçi Intercontinental Swimming Race
Near East University swimmer Doğukan Ulaç has achieved second place in the Samsung Boğaziçi Intercontinental Swimming race, held on 23rd July in İstanbul.
In total, 2,200 men and women from 49 different countries competed. Successful swimmer Ulaç also came 1st. in Turkey in the 18-24 age category.
Source: TRNC Public Information Office –
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