STATEMENT BY THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS ASSOC.PROF. TURGAY AVCI

The Deputy Prime Minister and Ministry of Foreign Affairs Turgay Avcı has made some assessments regarding the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon’s report on Cyprus which is due to be discussed at the Security Council today. The text of the statement is as follows.

The UN Secretary- General Ban Ki-Moon submitted to the Security Council on 5 June 2007 a draft report on the UN Peacekeeping Force covering the period from 25 November 2006-25 May 2007, the report being his first on the Cyprus issue.  In light of our continuing assessments, we have noted that the draft report includes some positive elements. However, the said report falls short of meeting our expectations in the full sense. A detailed version of our assessment of the report will be submitted by our Ministry to its addressee.

The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon’s reference in his report to the former UN Secretary-General Annan’s report of 28 May 2004 and noting of his adoption of the stance based on the need for the lifting of the isolation is welcome.  The report points out that launching the implementation of the financial aid package directed at Turkish Cypriots by the European Union would be a positive step in view of his predecessor’s call for the lifting of the isolation on the Turkish Cypriots in his report of 28 May 2004. Moreover, the UN Secretary- General Ban Ki-Moon’s emphasis on upholding the said report which made reference to the Annan Plan as the formula for a future settlement on the island and his strong call on the international community for the lifting of the unjust isolation imposed on us in light of our expressed will for settlement, is important in terms of demonstrating that the important findings of the report are not the personal findings of his predecessor but the position of the Office of the UN Secretary-General. Within this context, I would like to stress once again that the report of 28 May 2004 which has still not been taken up by the Security Council and the failure to come up with a resolution, contrary to the established practice, has been a source of disappointment for the Turkish Cypriots.

The Turkish Cypriot side which has repeatedly announced its readiness for the commencement of full-fledged negotiations aimed at a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue without further delay is contributing to this process by taking the necessary steps to move forward. Despite the position of the Turkish Cypriot side which has focused its efforts on finding a just and lasting solution to the Cyprus issue, the Greek Cypriot side is trying to do away with the long established parameters of the UN that emerged after years of negotiations carried out under the auspicious of the UN and is also trying to shift the Cyprus issue from the UN platform to the EU. Therefore the reference in the report to the existence of established parameters is considered as positive by the Turkish Cypriot side.

The report mentions of the identification of the day-to day issues as one of the most important difficulties associated with 8 July process. It was decided in 8 July Agreement that daily issues would be taken up by Technical committees while the substantive issues would be taken up by Working Groups. In observing this approach the Turkish Cypriot side keeps being engaged in the process, doing its utmost for its successful completion. Regarding the report’s call for ending mutual recriminations, we would like to stress that despite the leaking of information on the process and running of an accusation campaign to mislead the domestic and world public opinion by the Greek Cypriot leadership, the Turkish Cypriot side makes statements only when it is deemed necessary.

The Turkish Cypriot side has been displaying a positive attitude by its constant support of operations for de-mining the Island. The expressions in the latest report accusing the Turkish Cypriot side concerning mine clearance operations are unfortunate. As is known and as mentioned in the report, Financial Assistance Regulation was drafted and adopted as a means of contributing to the development of our economy and the lifting of the isolation. The allocation of funds for mine-clearance activities from the Regulation’s budget in disregard of this fact certainly contradicts the intended use of the Regulation.

The reference to the activities of the construction sector in North Cyprus in a report on the UNFICYP’s operations is aimed at satisfying the Greek Cypriot side which is trying to thwart our economy. The construction sector plays a very important role for the Turkish Cypriot side which is trying to strengthen its economy suffering from isolations. While political statements are made, we rightly expect that mention is also made of the expropriation of the Turkish Cypriot properties in the South, initiatives like the signing of bi-lateral agreements that has a negative impact on the peace and stability of the Island as well as the Eastern Mediterranean and increasing rearmament of the Greek Cypriot side impairing the efforts towards a comprehensive settlement.

As to the establishment of a Turkish school in Limassol, which is a humanitarian issue of great significance for the Turkish Cypriot side, the reference in the report to the fact that it is not yet operational, is welcome. However, the report which merely mentions that the UN has been following the developments regarding the lawsuit filed by the Turkish Cypriot Teachers’ Trade Union and is continuing its efforts for the improvement of the education conditions of Turkish Cypriots studying in the Greek Cypriot School in Limassol falls short of our expectation. Moreover, as it is also known by the UN authorities, the Greek Cypriot side’s commitment for the establishment of a Turkish Cypriot schools goes beyond March 2005. Our expectation was that the report would call on the Greek Cypriot side which openly violates the basic human right of the right to education in one’s mother tongue.

Taking also into consideration that this is the first report by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- on the Cyprus issue, the Turkish Cypriot side considers the sensitivity shown in use of terminology in political sections of the report and its balanced wording as positive.

As the Turkish Cypriot side, we announce that we will continue our efforts to bringing about a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus issue under the auspicious of the UN Secretary-General and confirm our resolve to further our cooperation with the UN and the UNFICYP.

7 June 2007, Lefkoşa.