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

In an interview with Spain’s “El Pais” newspaper, the Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister Lillikas has added new ones to his ridiculous allegations.  While the “wall of shame” was demolished owing to pressures, he claims “the withdrawal of the Turkish troops from the region”.  We would like to remind that there is no Turkish troop stationed in the area. The only military unit stationed in the region is a unit from the Turkish Cypriot Security Forces. We shall not allow the Greek Cypriot side to evade from its responsibilities by means of distorting the issue. The Greek Cypriot leadership, which has so far avoided fulfilling its own share of responsibility for opening of the Lokmacı Crossing to reciprocal crossings, has finally demolished the “wall of shame” last week as a result of our persistent calls and international initiatives. Even this fact is being denied by them.

Lillikas takes his allegations even further by stating that they proposed opening of eight crossing points. Such allegations are ridiculous given that the Greek Cypriot leadership, has for long, taken a negative stance over the issue of opening a single, much needed crossing in the city centre of Lefkoşa and has tried to prevent the opening of the crossing. We expect the Greek Cypriot leadership to leave aside its ridiculous allegations and fulfill its own share of responsibility in the opening of the Lokmacı Crossing. Nevertheless, the Greek Cypriot leadership rather maintains its known position trying to delay the opening of the Lokmacı Crossing by putting forward new preconditions. As is known, the reciprocal crossings was realized by the initiative of the Turkish Cypriot side and the Turkish Cypriot has always fulfilled its own share of responsibility on this issue and will continue to do so. Our priority as well as that of the international community is the opening of Lokmacı Crossing, within the framework of the procedures applied to other crossings, without further delay. We can take into consideration the opening of new crossing following the opening of the Lokmacı Crossing. Nevertheless, we will not let the Greek Cypriot side to evade its responsibilities with such maneuvers.

We have been very surprised by the allegation put forward by Lillikas in his interview, published in Spain’s “El Pais” newspaper, that returning to the negotiating table is the only way for a comprehensive settlement yet this could not be realized due to the elections in Turkey. Given it is the Greek Cypriot leadership which has so far impaired all the efforts for the implementation of the 8 July process, the formation of technical committees and working groups and finally the meeting of the two leaders at the end of the first quarter of 2007 as stated in the letter of the former Under-Secretary-General Gambari, its use of the Turkish elections as an excuse for not returning to the negotiating table today is not convincing. If the Greek Cypriot leadership is really seeking to return to the negotiating table and bring about a comprehensive settlement to the Cyprus issue, it has to fulfill its own share of responsibility for launching the 8 July process without further delay and leave aside its policy of inhibiting the meeting of the two leaders.

Lefkoşa, 12 March 2007