Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer, who is in London to met with the British Minister for Europe Geoff Hoon and to participate to the reception celebrating the 23^rd anniversary of the establishment of the TRNC, in a press conference organized at the TRNC’s London Representative evaluated his contacts and the latest developments of the Cyprus issue.

Speaking during the press conference, Prime Minister Soyer said that he had a “very fruitful” meeting with Hoon, where he found the opportunity to exchange views on the latest developments of the Cyprus Problem as well as Turkey’s EU membership process and the maintenance of peace and stability in the East Mediterranean in line with the EU’s enlargement principle.

Soyer said that he had explained to Hoon that the Turkish Cypriot people was committed to the EU principles and was a party to the solution of the Cyprus issue. He said a solution based on UN parameters would not only maintain peace between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots on the island but would also contribute greatly to efforts in achieving regional stability and peace and would have a positive impact on Turkey’s EU accession process and Turkish-Greek relations.

The Prime Minister also said that he had conveyed his view to the British Minister that the Turkish Cypriot side was ready to restart the negotiations on the UN bases and in accordance with the solution plan in order to reach a comprehensive settlement, and the removal of the international isolation of the Turkish Cypriot people would be the best step to resume talks.

Reminding that two of the six seats occupied by Greek Cypriots in the European Parliament belonged to Turkish Cypriots, the Prime Minister said that these seats, in violation and contradiction of the EU’s democratic norms and principles, had been filled by Greek Cypriots without the consent of the Turkish Cypriot population. He added that although Turkish was one of the official languages of the 1960 Cyprus Republic and was still on Cyprus Pound, it was not made an official language of the EU despite the foundation agreement, and this did not comply with the Copenhagen Criteria.

Prime Minister Soyer said that he had pointed out the importance of Britain’s positive stance towards the Turkish Cypriot people in helping efforts to bring peace and stability to the region.

The Under-Secretary General of the United Nations Responsible for Political Affairs Ibrahim Gambari sent a letter to both sides in the island in line with “8th July Agreement” calling upon the sides to resume the negotiations.

In his letter, Gambari suggested the bi-communal expert working groups and the technical committees to start negotiations and President Mehmet Ali Talat and Greek Cypriot leader Papadopoulos to meet one week after.

Gambari requested from the two leaders to start the comprehensive negotiations until April 2007 within the framework of the UN Good Offices Mission, after reaching “a satisfactory, sufficient and healthy” progress. Gambari suggested that Talat and Papadopoulos should meet at least once a month after the technical committees started the negotiations. Gambari asked the two leaders to respond to his proposals as soon as possible and expressed his hope that the mutual “accusations” would end.

The EU Commissioner Responsible for Enlargement Olli Rehn stated that the address to settle the issue of returning Varosha to its former owners was not the EU, but the UN.

Explaining that “the issue of the return of Varosha was one of the most comprehensive parts of the UN peace plan, which was put into referendum”, Rehn said, “the EU supported the UN’s efforts towards reaching a comprehensive and permanent settlement in the island”.