President Mehmet Ali Talat returned to the TRNC on Saturday night (4 November) from Brussels where he met with the Finnish Foreign Minister Errki Tuomioja.

Speaking at Ercan Airport, the President stressed that the Turkish Cypriot side’s constructive approach for the solution of the Cyprus problem would continue.

President Talat pointed out that during the meeting with Tuomioja, Finnish proposal was taken up. President explaining that Finnish Term Presidency confirmed that they would continue to contribute to the solution of the Cyprus problem said he guaranteed that the Turkish Cypriots would continue to be constructive on this issue. Talat added that the meeting was very fruitful.

President Talat stated that Finland’s proposal, which consisted of only ideas and was not written has turned into a discussion topic and the proposal entered into a new phase before reaching a conclusion. President added that with this aim a meeting was organized to be held in Helsinki, but was cancelled due to the format of the meeting.

Underlining that Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja stressed that Finland has not given up their initiative for the solution of the Cyprus problem, President Talat said he explained the Turkish Cypriot side’s views and efforts towards a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem to Tuomioja.

Talat during the meeting with Tuomioja, underlined the need that the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot people should be lifted in line with calls by the UN Secretary-General and the European Union and the EU had a basic duty on this issue. President said he requested that Finland should spend effort on this issue.

"It would be wrong to use the lifting of the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot people as a tool to overcome the problems that could emerge in Turkey’s EU membership process" President Talat said to Tuomioja, warning that the use of issues, which are components of a comprehensive solution, will open the way for a partial solution in Cyprus, instead of a comprehensive one and added that this could not be accepted by the Turkish Cypriot side.

President Mehmet Ali Talat said that South Cyprus’s participation in all EU institutions in a position as if it also represents the Turkish Cypriot People, creates a lack of dialogue between the European Union and the Turkish Cypriot side. He underlined that he requested from Tuomioja to find alternatives in order to overcome this.

Continuing, President Talat pointing out that if a dialogue was established between the EU and the Turkish Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots would be able to participate in EU institutions and make their voice heard, stressed that the necessary steps should immediately be taken.

Saying that Finnish proposal was inspired by Papadopoulos’s views, which he put forward and conveyed, to the EU in September 2004, the President said Finland prepared this proposal before understanding the Cyprus issue in detail, just to remove the possible obstacles to be faced by Turkey in its EU membership process. The President said: "I think Finland, while preparing this proposal, was in dialogue with the Greek Cypriot side."

Drawing attention to the fact that the proposal was presented without knowing the Turkish Cypriots’ approach, President Talat said this initiative of Finland had shown once more that there was a serious lack of dialogue between the EU and the Turkish Cypriots.

The EU Term President Finland’s Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja after his meeting with TRNC President Mehmet Ali Talat speaking to Reuters News Agency stated that they would continue with their initiatives on Cyprus. He said that their failure to bring the sides together in Helsinki for a meeting should not be perceived as the "end of their initiatives".

Tuomioja stating that the sides requested from him to continue to his diplomatic efforts said, "we have not given in yet".

Pointing out that he would continue to meet with the sides separately, Tuomioja said following his meetings the following options would emerge; "to make a proposal and receive ‘yes or no’ answer"; "to brought the sides together"; and "to conclude that there would not be any compromise".

Responding to a question whether the non-solution of the Cyprus issue would risk Turkey’s EU membership or not, he said, "This is a big concern beyond every effort made in order to abstain from the famous train crash".

Tuomioja stated that he wished to take a step forward before Turkey’s Progress report being announced.

Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer went to Chile in order to attend the Socialist International Meeting, which starts today (6 November) in the Chilean capital Santiago.

On his return from Chile, Mr. Soyer will stop over in Ankara to attend Turkey’s Justice and Development Party’s Second Congress on 11 November as guest of his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Speaking at Ercan airport before leaving the TRNC on Saturday (4 November), Soyer said he would meet with other socialist leaders from many countries.