PRESIDENT TALAT: “CEASE IN EU ENLARGEMENT PROCESS AND TURKEY’S PROGRESS WOULD HAVE A VERY NEGATIVE EFFECT ON CYPRUS PROBLEM”

 

            President Mehmet Ali Talat stated that in the event of a cease in EU enlargement process and Turkey’s progress in this path, the Cyprus problem would be affected very negatively.

 

            President Talat yesterday answering the questions of a journalist pointed out that the parties that desired solution to the Cyprus problem in its current position have different reasons and one of the reasons of the Turkish Cypriot side was about security. President Talat said:

 

“The solution of the Cyprus problem, Cyprus’ membership to the EU as a whole and Turkey’s EU membership would create a very secure environment both in the region and within the EU. Therefore, because the continuation of Turkey’s EU process will give this guarantee to the Turkish Cypriot people and also to Turkey, the solution becomes more desirable. Otherwise, other concerns would come to the agenda. If Cyprus remains divided, if Turkey stays outside the EU and the Greek Cypriot side continues to be within the EU, then a conflict between the EU and Turkey is natural and this would strengthen the nonsolution of the Cyprus problem. This is not unknown, or a secret. All the related parties are aware of and talk about this.”

 

            On being asked how he evaluated the EU Term President Finland’s proposal on Cyprus, President Talat stated that since this was not officially conveyed to them, the Turkish Cypriot side could not make any evaluation on this issue and when the issue is officially came to them they would make the necessary evaluations.

 

            Pointing out that because the proposal was made to Turkey, the Turkish Cypriot side is in general aware of the issue, but since the proposal had some points regarding the Turkish Cypriot side, it should be discussed with them, President Talat said: “It is evident that no proposal could be implemented before it is discussed with us. Therefore, we are expecting it to be officially conveyed to us”.

 

 

ERCAKICA: “PAPADOPOULOS’ SEARCH FOR A UNITARY STATE IS DYNAMITING SETTLEMENT EFFORTS”

 

            Presidential Spokesman Hasan Ercakica stated that the Greek Cypriot leader Papadopoulos’ attempts to change the accepted parameters of the Cyprus issue and achieve a unitary state was dynamiting the efforts for finding a solution to the Cyprus problem.

 

            Ercakica in his weekly press briefing evaluated Papadopoulos’s speech delivered at the UN General Assembly. He pointed out that President Talat in a letter to be sent to the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan would express his reaction to Papadopoulos’s speech.

 

            Stating that Papadopoulos was trying to reshape the international community in line with his own opinions and aims, Ercakica said the Greek Cypriot leader was trying to strengthen the ‘osmosis’ method, which he first put forward last year.

 

            Indicating that Papadopoulos who said ‘he was in favor of a method which would respect to ethnic origin and cultural differences and political equality, on the other hand was saying that this should in no way hamper the efficient functioning of the Cyprus government and its institutions.

 

            Ercakica stressed that Papadopoulos was talking about a federal settlement only for not being in contrast with the aims of the international community and added that:

 

“Papadopoulos with this approach has shown that he was in favor of a solution based on a ‘unitary state’. This attempt indicates a basic transformation which would dynamite the efforts to find a settlement to the Cyprus problem.”

 

            Ercakica stating that Papadopoulos demonstrated his real desire, which is to expand the Cyprus issue to a long-term discussion process, not to negotiate and reach a solution, in front of the UN General Assembly, said: “If Papadopoulos is in search of solving the Cyprus issue by obtaining concessions from the Turkish Cypriot side without negotiating its basic principles, it is impossible for him to succeed.” Ercakica added that supporting this attitude of Papadopoulos would only serve to delay the settlement of the Cyprus problem and even to make it impossible. Continuing, Ercakica said:

 

“Papadopoulos’ speech once more has shown that he was not in search of finding a solution to the Cyprus issue but to gain time by using the advantages of being recognized as ‘the Republic of Cyprus’ against the Turkish Cypriots. It is the duty of us as well as of the UN and the EU who support the efforts to find a settlement to the Cyprus problem to make further evaluations on this speech.

 

Hasan Ercakica responding to a question stated that President Talat’s visit to New York was on the agenda and they engaged in a verbal initiative on this issue.

 

Ercakica called on the European Union (EU) to fulfill its responsibilities towards Turkish Cypriots and implement the resolutions it adopted.

 

Presidential Spokesman Mr. Hasan Ercakica, pointed out that the real purpose of bringing the issues concerning the Turkish Cypriot side on the agenda at a time when the EU Commission will issue the Progress Report on Turkey is to eliminate the veto threat of the Greek Cypriot side.

 

Spokesman Ercakica said that since the EU has not fulfilled its obligations towards the Turkish Cypriots, it has refrained from establishing contacts with the Turkish Cypriot side as before. Ercakica added “In a way, the aim is to take away our opportunity to remind these obligations”.

 

Reminding that the Council of the European Union adopted a resolution on 26 April 2004, following the referendum on 24 April 2004, deciding to end the isolations imposed on Turkish Cypriots, Spokesman Ercakica said that the reason Greek Cypriot side had not objected to the said resolution was the sense of guilt and the fact that it had not been a member state yet.

 

Ercakica reminded that Greek Cypriot side, signing Protocol 10, as it became a member of the EU, committed to reaching a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus Issue, consistent with the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council and provide their strong support for the efforts of the Secretary-General to that end.

 

Spokesman Ercakica stated that acting contrary to this commitment, the Greek Cypriot side aims to hinder the settlement of the Cyprus Issue and tries to change the parameters of the Cyprus Issue confirmed by the relevant UN resolutions years ago.

 

Pointing at Protocol 10, Article 3, paragraph 1 which says “Nothing in this protocol shall preclude measures with a view to promoting the economic development of the areas referred to in Article 1” Spokesman Ercakica said that the area referred to in the said Article is North Cyprus.

 

Underlining that Greek Cypriot side is acting against the said article, Spokesman Ercakica added, “Greek Cypriot side is doing its best to prevent the economic development of the Turkish Cypriots”.

 

Saying that “The reason these resolutions are not implemented is the hindrance of Greek Cypriot side who became an EU member state representing the whole of Cyprus illegally”. Ercakica added that Greek Cypriots are able to exploit the organs of the EU against the Turkish Cypriots.