PRESIDENT TALAT: “IT IS THE GREEK CYPRIOT SIDE WHICH SHOULD PROVE ITS WILLINGNESS TOWARDS A SOLUTION”

President Mehmet Ali Talat stated that Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias knows very well that the Turkish Cypriot side, with the support of Turkey, proved its willingness towards a solution` during the April 2004 referendum on the UN Peace Plan. The President’s comments came in reaction to Christofias’ statement claiming that the way to a settlement in Cyprus could not be opened if Turkey did not change its policies.

President said: “Neither the Turkish Cypriot side nor Turkey needs to be convinced. If Turkey had not supported the UN peace plan, the Turkish Cypriot side couldn’t have achieved this much success. Turkey had clearly supported a solution in Cyprus and still continues to do so. The UN Secretary General in his report submitted to the UN Security Council also had thanked Turkey for her support.”

President Talat stressed that Demetris Christofias should not forget the fact that it was the Greek Cypriot side that did not support a solution.

Talat added that Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side had spent intensive efforts in support of the UN comprehensive settlement plan from the beginning and this doesn’t need to be proved.

Reminding that Christofias who approached positively to the UN plan in the beginning but later changed his policy and mounted a campaign against the plan, President Talat said for this reason it is the Greek Cypriot side who should prove its willingness towards a solution.

President said Christofias by asking concessions from others was in fact trying to conceal his own responsibilities.

Continuing the President said: “For me he should first give account for his responsibilities. He should explain the reasons why they betrayed the world for months and years by saying that they would vote in favor of the UN settlement plan and rejecting it after a sudden policy change made just before the referenda. They should also prove that their policy has changed since the referenda and their willingness towards a solution.”

Responding to a question how Christofias’ statements would affect the process henceforth, Talat said: “Such statements are only poisoning the atmosphere. It should be known that if these are repeated knowingly, the Turkish Cypriot side and Turkey, whose important role in the solution of the Cyprus problem cannot be ignored, will be disappointed and get angry”. Talat added that Christofias’ continuous accusations against Turkey and his attempts towards diverting the realities of the Cyprus problem was not contributing to solution.

Referring to the Greek Cypriot spokesmen’s allegations that the Cyprus problem was a “problem of invasion and occupation”, Talat said the period between 1963 and 1974 when the Turkish Cypriot people suffered were the years which constituted the core of the Cyprus problem.

Stressing that the Greek Cypriot side by ignoring the said period and trying to show the Turkish Peace Operation, which came in response to Greek coup d'etat with the aim of achieving Enosis, as the sole reason of the Cyprus problem was perverting the facts and only serving to poison the atmosphere, Talat said such attempts should be avoided.

 

FOREIGN MINISTER AVCI: “CHRSITOFIAS IS RISKING TO DEEPEN THE MISTRUST BETWEEN THE TWO PEOPLES”

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Turgay Avcý reacting to the speech of Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias at a ceremony said Christofias has once again by risking deepening the mistrust between the two peoples, made a scornful allegation against Turkey to whom the Turkish Cypriot people are grateful.

In a written statement issued yesterday (14 April) Foreign Minister Avcý pointed out that the Turkish Cypriot people condemn with deep regret the statements of the Greek Cypriot leader referring Turkey as an “invader” which was compelled to intervene in Cyprus within the framework of her rights and obligations vested in international agreements in order to prevent the annexation of the Island by Greece and the bloodshed of the Turkish Cypriot people.

Reminding that Turkey’s timely intervention also saved the lives of many AKEL members including Christofias against the attacks of Greek military junta Avcý said: “We once again remind the Greek Cypriot leader that the legitimacy of Turkey’s intervention carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Treaty of Guarantee was also affirmed by the decision of Athens Court of Appeals dated 21 March 1979.”

Stating that the continuation of the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee without any change is one of the fundamental parameters of an agreement to be reached between the two peoples Avcý said it should be acknowledged that the Turkish Cypriot people will not approve any agreement which will dilute Turkey’s effective guarantee.

“We would like to emphasize that the Greek Cypriot leader has been engaged in useless efforts since the first day of his election in order to break off the ties between the Turkish Cypriot people and Turkey. The Turkish Cypriot people give the necessary response every day to the Greek Cypriot leader on this issue by further strengthening their existing ties with the Motherland” said the Foreign Minister. He added that while Motherland Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus have repeatedly announced that they are ready for a new partnership, the Greek Cypriot leader is planning to maintain the existing status quo so as to play for time.

Pointing out that Christofias was continuing to his tactical blame game by atrocious attacks against Motherland Turkey beyond the limits of diplomatic courtesy, in order to conceal his own responsibilities, Avcý said: “It is amply clear that the mentality of Papadopoulos is also adopted by the administration of Christofias”.

Continuing Foreign Minister Avcý said: “We would like to bring into the attention of all relevant parties this stance of the Greek Cypriot side which is striving to create scenarios by continuing to its tactical blame game in order to evade from the negotiation table”.