PRESIDENT TALAT: “UNIFICATION IS NOT GOD’S ORDER”

President Mehmet Ali Talat stressed that if the Greek Cypriot side continued to with its intransigent attitude, the world would say that “they cannot ever unite” and begin to search for new alternatives for a solution.

President Talat said if a negotiation process starts and could not produce any results, new solution alternatives would be brought to the table.

Reminding that the Turkish Cypriot people had put forwards their political will and passed an important mile stone in determining its own faith, President Talat said a possible non-settlement would emanate from the Greek Cypriot side’s stance.

Talat added that the Turkish Cypriot people could not be expected to maintain its position and wait for the Greek Cypriot side to agree on a settlement forever.

 

CHRISTOFIAS: “OUR POSITION IS THE WORST SO FAR”

Greek Cypriot daily Haravgi reported that the Greek Cypriot Speaker of Parliament and Greek Cypriot political party AKEL’s Secretary General Dimitris Christofias, who is a presidential candidate for the forthcoming elections in South Cyprus, evaluated the invitation by the British House of Lords to Foreign Minister Avcý and his visit there, two Italian MPs’ acquisition of TRNC citizenship, the upgrade of Northern Cyprus’ status through the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) as “negative developments”.

According to Haravgi, Christofias stated that these developments took place as a result of the shortages in Greek Cypriot side’s preventive policies and decrease in the credibility of the Greek Cypriot policies in the international arena.

Christofias said the Greek Cypriot side was weak in convincing the international community about their ideas and losing its credibility.

Referring to Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos’ comment on the developments as result of Foreign Minister Avcý’s contacts in Italy that this was not worth considering, Christofias said such mentality of Papadopoulos and his government would lead to the recognition of the TRNC.

Also touching upon the recent visit by Shroeder to Northern Cyprus, Christofias stated that there have been many developments showing that Turkey was progressing on its aim towards the lifting of the Turkish Cypriots’ isolation. He said more worrying development was the EU Commission’s efforts, despite the Greek Cypriot government’s proposals and protests, to launch direct trade with Northern Cyprus.

Stressing that the current position of the Greek Cypriot side was the worst so far, Christofias said their policies were encouraging everyone and Olli Rehn to say that the ports in Northern Cyprus and the ferry services between Famagusta and Latakia were legitimate.