PRESIDENT TALAT: “CYPRUS ISSUE CAN BE SOLVED UNTILL THE END OF 2008 WE HAVE ENOUGH TIME”

President Mehmet Ali Talat speaking  during a talk organized by the Gazimagusa Municipality evaluated  the election results  in South Cyprus and the recent developments  in the Cyprus issue.

Talat has said that results of the first round of ‘Presidential’ elections in South Cyprus indicated change on the Greek Cypriot Side. The President described Tassos Papadopoulos’ defeat in the elections as a ‘surprise’.

Pointing out that there has been no change in the Turkish Cypriot Side’s Cyprus policy since 2004, the President said “we proved our commitment to our policy during the 2004 referendum. There is no need to prove ourselves over and over again.”

President stating that the Turkish Cypriot leadership’s  aim was to  improve the Turkish Cypriot people’s  life standards and integrate them with the world  said  this was possible through solving the Cyprus issue since settlement  would be the closest way to  integrate Turkish Cypriots to the world.

 Pointing out that the Cyprus issue  could not be solved under the EU umbrella, where Greece and the Greek Cypriot Administration were members, President said it should be solved under the UN  framework.  Adding that  after a settlement the new structure  would be an EU member President said  the EU should also contribute  and support our  works with the UN.” We should keep our goal of starting negotiations” he  added.

Expressing his belief that the Cyprus Problem can be solved by the end of this year, Talat said “we are not setting any deadlines or preconditions. All we are saying is that we have enough time to settle the Cyprus Issue before the year ends.”   ….Outlining the main principles of the Turkish Cypriot Side’s Cyprus policy, Talat said that any solution to be found to the Cyprus Problem should be based on the political equality of the two sides. “This is the subject of paramount importance” he added.

Pointing out that  in any type of a settlement there would be two equal  founding state  Talat said  the new partnership state  would be based  on “virgin birth” principle.

Adding that the other important issue, which is greatly supported by the Turkish Cypriot people was the continuation of the guarantee system President said “the Turkish Cypriot people  want the continuation of Turkey’s guarantee in order to look to the future peacefully  and securely ”.

Responding to a question, the President said that the Taiwan Model was not suitable or an option for the Turkish Cypriot Side.

“Our policies are open and clear, The Taiwan model is not an acceptable approach. Taiwan does not possess political rights only possess commercial rights” said Talat.

 President Talat said Kosovo’s  as the result of its harmonized policies with the world  had  reached to current point  and that the Turkish side was  trying to do the same thing by  asking  settlement and unification