PRESIDENT TALAT IN BERLIN

President Mehmet Ali Talat, yesterday (8 June) went to Germany in order to meet with German Foreign Minister Frank Walter Steinmeier and to give conferences.

President’s visit to Germany has a special importance as being his first official visit to Europe. President Talat last night gave a conference entitled “TRNC Today and in the Near Future” at the Turkish House.

Today, Talat met with German Foreign Minister Steinmeier on the Cyprus issue at 11:00 am at Villa Borsig 13505 Reihwerder.

President Talat later today will give a speech at a meeting known as “Chatham House Discussions” organized by one of the important think tanks ‘German Institute for International Security Affairs’. Prestigious German politicians will also attend the meeting.

President Talat will also give interviews to some foreign press agencies and after completing his contacts, will return to the island on Saturday night (10 June).

 

ERDOGAN-DENKTAS MEETING

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Serdar Denktas, who is in Turkey as the official guest of the Turkish government, following the completion of his contacts in Ankara went to Istanbul yesterday (8 June).

In Istanbul, Serdar Denktas met with the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayip Erdogan in Prime Ministry’s Office at Dolmabahçe.

Serdar Denktas speaking to press following the meeting stated that they discussed the general issues and would meet for the second time in another meeting.

Stating that the isolations imposed on the TRNC were one of the issues on the agenda and that they were continuing their studies on the issue Serdar Denktas said what was important was the fact that the Greek Cypriot side did not want conciliation.

Responding to a question whether there were any sign from the EU for the lifting of the embargoes Denktas said: “not at this moment, but we hope that the Greek Cypriot attitude which reject any kind of power sharing with us will be overcome. We hope they will understand this.”

Foreign Minister Serdar Denktas stating that during the meeting it was once more confirmed that Turkey was committed to its policy on Cyprus and the issue of opening Turkish ports to Greek Cypriot administration is as it was envisaged in Ankara’s Action Plan on Cyprus.

Explaining that at the end of July there would be a new assessment of Cyprus issue in Ankara, Serdar Denktas said the Cyprus issue would be discussed in detail during this meeting. Serdar Denktas pointed out that he proposed, besides the government representatives, representatives of main opposition parties, National Unity Party (UBP) and Peace and Democracy Movement (BDH) to participate in the meeting, and that Erdogan positively responded to his proposal.

Foreign Minister Denktas drew Erdogan’s attention to the need of a policy change on the Cyprus issue and said this would also be evaluated in the meeting in July.