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

The Security Council has adopted the Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon’s report dated 3 December 2007 on the extension of the mandate of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force (UNFICYP) in Cyprus and on its operations over the last 6 months. However, we have observed with dissatisfaction that the said resolution disregards and shelves the UN Secretary General’s report which included significant observations with regard to the isolation.  The Security Council, in the absence of the Turkish Cypriot side, has once again yielded to the pressures of some of its member countries like Russia, which practically acts as the spokesperson of the Greek Cypriot side. Notwithstanding this, the report includes some other aspects which do not reflect the realities.

The preamble of the report refers to the upcoming year as a year of opportunity for a settlement. As the Turkish Cypriot side, we keep reiterating the need for returning to the negotiation table without delay and submit proposals towards this end. Therefore, the addressee of this appeal is the Greek Cypriot administration. As it is also acknowledged in the resolution, the time is running out for a settlement. Any appeal should be made directly to the Greek Cypriot side and the Greek Cypriot side should be effectively encouraged to resume negotiations without delay. This is only possible through initiatives that would deliver the concrete and necessary message, such as the lifting of the isolation imposed on the Turkish Cypriot people.

All peace initiatives prior to the lifting of the inhumane isolations imposed on the Turkish Cypriot people will inevitably result in failure. The failure of both the UN and the EU to oppose the inhumane isolations maintained by the Greek Cypriots and the lack of concrete steps towards the lifting of the isolation will lead to further hardening of the policies of the Greek Cypriot administration which aspires to deny the Turkish Cypriots the right to live on the island.

The severe isolation policy which is being implemented by the Greek Cypriot side has been further increasing the lack of confidence that already exists between the two peoples. Consequently, the interest for bi-communal activities is dwindling by the day. While the reference in the resolution to the need for the promotion of civil society for such activity is correct, it fails to mention that the restoration of an atmosphere of trust can only be achieved through the ending of the isolationist policy pursued by the Greek Cypriot side. Once again, we deem it useful to remind that the Greek Cypriot side which believes that it can subjugate the Turkish Cypriots through the use of title of the “Republic of Cyprus” which it has usurped should be warned in this regard.

The resolution also points out to the slowing down of the 8 July process. However, an appeal for the resumption of the process is directed to both sides. As the Turkish Cypriot side, we have shown all forms of flexibility for taking the process forward. Our President has proposed setting a time-table for the process in order to demonstrate our commitment to the

process and avert its failure. Yet the Greek Cypriot side has remained indifferent on this issue opting instead for an outright rejection of our proposal. Recently, the Greek Cypriot leader Papadopoulos has engaged in attempts to give the impression of supporting the process. However, his behaviour can be attributed to nothing else but the upcoming elections in the Greek Cypriot side.

As for the opening of the Ledra crossing point, which is included in our confidence building recommendations and was also referred to in the relevant paragraph of the resolution on the opening of the crossing points, we reiterate that the said crossing point should be opened within the framework of practices applying to other checkpoints and that we have finalized our works to this end and we, as the Turkish Cypriot side see no obstacle for the opening of the crossing point. The sole reason behind the failure of opening the crossing point is the Greek Cypriot side which keeps creating artificial crisis.

The resolution also covers the construction attempts taking place within the buffer zone. However, the fact that the said projects are those of the Greek Cypriot side is not openly stated in the resolution. We deem it necessary to reiterate once again that we are vigilant in observing the rules of the buffer zone in cooperation with the UN Peacekeeping authorities.

We would like to underline once again that the continuing reference to Akyar region on account of treating it within the buffer zone is unacceptable. The Turkish Cypriot authorities have the sole responsibility over any activity in Akyar region which is located within the boundaries of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Moreover the assertions of altering the status-quo in Akyar are totally baseless. We are of the expectation that this material mistake in the resolution will not be repeated in the future resolutions.

15 December 2007 Lefkoşa.