PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON’S PRESS BRIEFING

Hasan Erçakıca, who was recently appointed as the Presidential Spokesperson, held his first press briefing yesterday at the TRNC Presidency and evaluating the daily issues on Presidency’s agenda responded to journalists’ questions.

Answering journalists’ questions on the outcome of Sunday’s elections in South Cyprus, Mr. Erçakıca said that the outcome of the elections was not surprising and did not change anything in the Greek Cypriot political life. He added that the Turkish Cypriot side did not need to change its policy according to the new results; on the contrary, it should further strengthen its existing policy and be more active for solution.

Stating that if the Greek Cypriot leader Tasos Papadopoulos strengthens his intransigent attitude with the belief that he won a decisive victory in the elections, Erçakıca said Cyprus would experience more difficult days.

Asked to confirm or deny reports that the UN Secretary General’s Advisor for Political Affairs Ibrahim Gambari will be visiting the island now that the elections process in South Cyprus has ended, Mr. Erçakıca said Mr. Gambari’s visit completely depended on whether or not the Greek Cypriot Administration will display a positive stance.

Also referring to the issue of technical committees, the presidential spokesman said that there was no progress in that area.  

Erçakıca stated that the Turkish Cypriot side in a letter sent to the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan before his meeting with Papadopoulos had announced its view and attitude on the technical committees. He said: “although the Turkish Cypriot side approached positively to the establishment of technical committees with the aim of improving the relations between the two people and cooperation on issues of security, refugees, crime, health and etc., the Greek Cypriot side did not officially respond to Moller’s proposal.

Erçakıca pointed out that the Turkish Cypriot side proposed to work under the supervision of a high committee, but the Greek Cypriot side in discussions in front of the press, tried to include the basic issues of the Cyprus problem to the topics of this technical committee.

Stating that they were aware of the Greek Cypriot administration’s initiative on the internet to capture the area codes and domain names including terms such as ‘trnc’ and ‘kktc’, Erçakıca said they started the necessary legal process on this ‘hostile act’.