SOYER: "PUTTING A TIME CONSTRAINT FOR TURKEY IS A CONTRADICTION"

Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer stating that while on one hand the Greek Cypriot side’s dominative understanding and the European conservative political leaders rejected a time-limit in the settlement of the Cyprus issue, they on the other hand were trying to put a time constraint for Turkey’s EU negotiation process, said this was damaging the EU’s principal unity and creating a big contradiction.

Soyer stressed that the Greek Cypriot side, which rejected the UN’s idea of setting a timetable for the negotiation process in Cyprus, was now trying to put a time constraint for Turkey’s EU membership process.

Pointing out that they trusted the European communities and democratic powers who are sensitive, believe in democracy and contributed to the development of European principles, Prime Minister Soyer said they would continue to work for making the European communities to better realize this contradiction.

Speaking before the Council of Ministers Meeting yesterday (6 December), Prime Minister Soyer pointed to the fact that President Mehmet Ali Talat was in Europe in order to carry out important meetings and added: "At this important stage of the Cyprus issue, the Greek Cypriot side’s efforts towards bypassing the Turkish Cypriot people and shifting the Cyprus issue outside the UN framework has been impeded by political initiatives".

Referring to the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan’s latest report regarding the extension of the mandate of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, the Prime Minister said Annan in his report stressed his belief that President Mehmet Ali Talat and the Turkish Cypriot people were committed to a solution and reaffirmed the need to lift the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot people.

AVCI: "GREEK CYPRIOT SIDE’S EFFORTS TOWARDS PUTTING RESTRICTIONS TO THE GREEN LINE REGULATION SHOWS ITS HOSTILITY AGAINST TURKISH PEOPLE"

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Turgay Avcý stated that with its efforts to limit the trade conducted in accordance with the Green Line Regulation, the Greek Cypriot side is demonstrating a stance, which can only be attributed to its hostility towards the Turkish people.

The written statement issued yesterday (6 December) by Foreign Minister Turgay Avcý is as follows:

"The Greek Cypriot Agriculture Minister has been alleging for some time that the potatoes exported to the South under the Green Line Regulation is originated from Turkey, not from the TRNC and claiming that the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce is involved in illegal practices. Taking this allegation further, the Greek Cypriot Ministry of Agriculture has announced its decision to impose ‘stricter controls’ at the checkpoints in order to bring limitations to our trade, particularly the export of our potatoes, regulated by the Green Line Regulation.

Similar allegations were also put forward by the Greek Cypriot side for trade in tomatoes, and the European Commission’s responded to these in its annual report on the implementation of the Green Line Regulation. The EU Commission has stated that it had examined the complaint of the Greek Cypriot side and came to the conclusion that this complain was not founded.

Meanwhile, the Greek Cypriot Ecologists and Environmentalist Movement had called for "boycotting of the Turkish products in order to punish Turkey for not implementing the Additional Protocol", and demanded measures to be taken to limit the trade conducted in line with the Green Line Regulation.

As is known, the Green Line Regulation provides for the export of Turkish Cypriot goods to the South and to the EU countries.

With its efforts to limit the trade conducted in accordance with the Green Line Regulation, the Greek Cypriot side is demonstrating a stance, which can only be attributed to its hostility towards the Turkish people hence proving once again that it cannot tolerate the actions aimed at improving the Turkish Cypriot economy.

The decision of the Greek Cypriot Agriculture Minister, in fact, stems from the Greek Cypriot side’s efforts to "punish Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots" after failing to obtain concessions from the Turkish side through the EU. This decision of the Greek Cypriot side is aimed at sustaining the isolation imposed upon the Turkish Cypriots hence hampering the improvement of the Turkish Cypriot economy.

We know the real intention of the Greek Cypriot side. We have been explaining the situation to the relevant third parties on this issue and continuing to stress the necessity of lifting the isolations. The Turkish Cypriot side has demonstrated their desire for a just and lasting settlement based on political equality by saying "yes" to the comprehensive settlement plan, The EU decision of 26 April 2004 which has taken following our yes vote and which envisages for lifting of the isolations imposed upon the Turkish Cypriot people should therefore be implemented without further delay. The proposal for the Direct Trade Regulation which constitutes the cornerstone of this decision should be adopted as it is originally proposed by the EU Commission on 7 July 2004\ without any amendments and preconditions attached.

Despite the efforts of the Greek Cypriot administration’s efforts to maintain the isolations imposed upon the Turkish Cypriot people, we will continue with our work to improve the welfare and strengthen the economy of our people."

ANNAN POINTED TO THE FACT THAT THE TRNC’S ISOLATION SHOULD END

The UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in his latest report issued on 31^st of November on Cyprus pointed to the fact that the international isolation of the TRNC should be lifted and a comprehensive settlement should be found in the island.

Annan in his report submitted to the UN Security Council covering the period between 18 May and 27 November 2006, which included the developments in the island and the UNFICYP’s activities during this period, stated that his special representative to Cyprus Michael Moller’s efforts towards finding a comprehensive settlement between the two sides on the island were continuing.

Annan reminding that the Under-Secretary General for Political Affairs Ibrahim Gambari carried out contacts in Turkey, Greece and Cyprus in the beginning of July, stressed that on 8 July, following the meeting between Talat and Papadopoulos in the presence of Gambari, they agreed on a "set of principles".

Explaining that this agreement had put forward that the status quo in the island was unacceptable, its continuation would lead to negative results for Turkish and Greek Cypriots and that a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem should be achieved, Annan noted that the agreement also envisaged setting up technical committees for solving day-to-day issues between the two peoples.

The Secretary-General also reminded the UN Security Council’s statement announced on 29^th of August requesting that the 8 July agreement should immediately be implemented.

Annan noting that on 20^th of November he met with President Mehmet Ali Talat in Geneva, stated that Talat had reiterated the need to lift the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots and in response he stressed that he continued to stand by his report of May 2004 indicating that the isolation of North Cyprus must be lifted.

Stating that ‘the situation in Cyprus remained calm and stable, with no major violations of the cease-fire lines’, Annan reported: "In the absence of a comprehensive settlement, the presence of UNFICYP remains necessary in maintaining cease-fire lines" and considering its vital role in other issues on the island recommended that the Security Council extend the mandate of the Force by a further period of six months, until 15 June 2007.