Prime Minister’s Office: “Considering the attitudes of the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides as being equal can never be accepted.”
The Prime Minister’s office has stated that it is unacceptable that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ remarks in the Cyprus report draw an equivalence between the negative attitudes of the Greek Cypriot side and the generous stance of the Turkish Cypriot side.
Highlighting that this report on the collapse of negotiations, issued on 10 October 2017, is no different to previous UN reports, The Prime Minister’s Office stated the following:
“Considering the unfair and negative attitude of the Greek Cypriot side as equal to the generous stance of Turkish Cypriot side is unacceptable.”
The statement also noted that the UN has witnessed the opportunism of the Greek Cypriot-Greece duo, which strategically positions itself against Turkey at every stage of the negotiations including the Crans-Montana Summit.
The Prime Minister’s Office stressed that Greek Cypriot leader Anastasiades’ negative stance regarding a settlement was unacceptable. In particular, the Office expressed dismay that both Anastasiades’ insistence on a “zero guarantee-zero troops” agreement and rejection of a rotating presidency based on equality for both sides were not reflected in the report
“As a government, we want everyone to know that resuming negotiations will not be possible while the world remains silent, watching the Turkish Cypriot people suffer under embargos and isolation despite their constructive approach to negotiations since the 2014 referendum and in the last 50 years.”
Foreign Ministry: “In the absence of an accurate evaluation it will not be possible to reach a solution in Cyprus”
Indicating that the report of the United Nations Secretary-General on his Mission of Good Offices in Cyprus created deep disappointment the Foreign Ministry said: “Whilst the report had the opportunity and potential to act as a guidebook for a solution, the current report, regrettably, will take its place on dusty shelves, along with all other documents belonging to the 50 year long negotiation process.
In a written statement the Foreign Ministry evaluated the report of the United Nations Secretary-General on his Mission of Good Offices in Cyprus. The statement is as follows:
“The report of the United Nations Secretary-General on his Mission of Good Offices in Cyprus (S/2017/814) regarding the latest negotiation process has been published.
The report, which supposedly takes an impartial approach, fails to provide a complete and accurate reflection of the developments in the latest negotiation process in general and Crans-Montana in particular, thus failing to adopt a just and fair approach. In his report, the Secretary General refrains from acknowledging that the recent process has failed due to the intransigence of the Greek Cypriot side. The fact that the lack of political will and determination of the Greek Cypriot side is equally attributed to all sides makes matters even worse.
The report makes no reference to the negative stance of the Greek Cypriot side which refused to discuss, even in principle, the already agreed notion of rotating presidency, an indispensable part of the political equality of the Turkish Cypriot side. Furthermore, the report does not refer to the Turkish Cypriot side’s openings regarding the Confidence Building Measures. Moreover, the Greek Cypriot side’s intransigent approach of ‘‘zero-troops, zero-guarantees’’ is overlooked. In this context, we would like to reiterate that the continuation of Turkey’s guarantee rights is an indispensable element for the Turkish Cypriot side who would not vote in favour of an agreement devoid of it.
The United Nations Secretary General’s refusal to confess the reasons behind the collapse of the negotiation process and that it would not be possible to reach a solution within the framework of the current parameters is noteworthy. The approach that the negotiation process should resume from where it was left off rather than clearly pointing out that the sole party responsible for a lack of a settlement is the Greek Cypriot side prevents a thorough evaluation of this failure and prevents a new approach to reaching a solution. In the absence of an accurate evaluation on the causes behind the failure of the 50 year long negotiations, it will not be possible to reach a solution in Cyprus. Regrettably, the Secretary General’s report is far from shedding light on or contributing to this evaluation.
Despite the failure of the half-a-century old negotiation process, demonstrating that a settlement based on the current parameters is not possible, the Secretary General continues to refrain from acknowledging this fact in his report, thus, contributing to the continuation of the very status quo that the Secretary General himself deems unacceptable. This status quo means that the Turkish Cypriot people are obliged to live under inhumane isolation imposed on them. Once again our expectations from the United Nations and the Secretary General to adopt a determined and courageous approach have not been met, although such an approach would allow for the Turkish Cypriot people to take their rightful place in the international arena from which they have been unfairly secluded for so many years.
In light of the above mentioned facts, we would like to express our deep disappointment as to the report of the Secretary General. Whilst the report had the opportunity and potential to act as a guidebook for a solution, the current report, regrettably, will take its place on dusty shelves, along with all other documents belonging to the 50 year long negotiation process.”
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey: “The UN Secretary-General’s report is far from welcoming our expectations”
Turkish Foreign Ministry announced that the report, in its present form, does not candidly reflect the facts concerning the comprehensive negotiation process which came to an end last July with the closing of the Conference on Cyprus. As such, the UN Secretary-General’s report is far from welcoming their expectations”.
In the written statement made by the Ministry, it is stated as: “Nevertheless, some of the observations made in the report by the Secretary-General, who witnessed all relevant developments, ought to be taken into account by the international community.
In this framework, Turkey takes note that the Secretary-General, while referring to the final phase of the process, emphasizes his conviction that “political will, courage and determination, mutual trust and a readiness on the part of all parties to take calculated risks” were necessary to conclude the negotiations.
It is evident that the Secretary-General is not referring to Turkey or the Turkish Cypriot side with these remarks. This is clear because during the entire process leading up to the Conference on Cyprus, as well as during all phases of the Conference including its Crans-Montana session, the Greek Cypriot side never discarded its unrealistic approach to the Security and Guarantees chapter, which can be summarized as “zero troops, zero guarantees”. The Greek Cypriots displayed no constructiveness whatsoever even on fundamental issues regarding the functioning of the partnership state whose establishment was being attempted on the Island. That is why it is also difficult to understand the remarks in the report to the effect that the parties were ‘very close to reaching an agreement’.”
Atun: “We have no intention of remaining unrecognized while being tied to negotiations forever”
Stating that the TRNC has no intention of remaining unrecognized while being tied to negotiations indefinitely, Economy and Energy Minister Sunat Atun said, “At this point, we have to talk about new frameworks for negotiations in consultation with motherland Turkey.”
Speaking at the Eighth Turkey Energy Summit held in Antalya this year, Atun mentioned the ineffective recent negotiations which did not yield any results. He also highlighted that the Turkish Cypriot side is open to negotiating in order to preserve their rights under all conditions – namely, Turkey’s unconditional and continued status as guarantor; the preservation of Turkish military presence on the island and the upholding of the TRNC’s territorial integrity.
Stressing that the demands of the Greek Cypriot administration would not end, Atun stated that the TRNC has been struggling to survive independently for 40 years with the consistent support of the motherland Turkey.
Atun said that the TRNC is in a position to stand on its own feet thanks to strong financial and macroeconomic policies it has implemented with Turkey.
Source: TRNC Public Information Office –
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