FOREIGN MINISTER AVCI
RETURNS TO THE TRNC
Deputy Prime Minister and
Minister of Foreign Affairs Turgay Avcý after
completing his contacts in Australia returned to the
TRNC on Saturday night (23 February).
Foreign Minister Avcý who was in
Australia in order to attend the ceremonies of the
60th anniversary of the Turkish Cypriots’
migration to Australia held various contacts with
Turkish Cypriots living there and with Australian
authorities.
Avcý evaluating his visit to
Australia stated that this visit was very fruitful
and from now on they would strengthen their
relations and ties with the Turkish Cypriots living
in Australia.
Referring to his meeting with
Turkish businessmen in Australia, Avcý said
important steps have been taken towards improving
cooperation and solidarity between Australian and
TRNC businessmen and encouraging Australian
businessmen to invest in the TRNC.
Pointing out that he was very
satisfied with his political contacts in Australia,
Avcý said his meetings with MPs in Melbourne and
Canberra would produce positive results.
CHRISTOFIAS WINS THE
SECOND ROUND OF ELECTIONS IN SOUTH CYPRUS
Greek Cypriot political party
AKEL’s leader Dimitris Christofias has won the
second round of presidential elections in South
Cyprus and replaced Tassos Papadopoulos.
Christofias received 53.36% of
the votes compared to 46% obtained by his rival,
DISY candidate Ioannidis Kasulides.
Christofias will take over the
presidency with an official ceremony to be held on
Thursday (28 February).
President Mehmet Ali Talat
congratulated Christofias for being elected as Greek
Cypriot President in a telephone conversation.
Christofias conveyed Talat his
wish to meet soon and Talat stated that he was
always ready to meet.
Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer
has also called upon Christofias to sit at the
negotiation table with President Talat for a
solution on the basis of UN parameters without
losing further time.
Soyer said: “Now we have to find
a settlement on the basis of political equality
through dialogue. This is the basic goal.
Christofias should start the negotiation process
with President Mehmet Ali Talat as soon as possible.”
PRESIDENT TALAT: “IF
WE COULD NOT REACH A SOLUTION NOW, THEN IT WILL BE
VERY DIFFICULT TO UNITE CYPRUS”
President Mehmet Ali Talat in his
statement made to the Anatolian News Agency (AA)
prior to the second round of presidential elections
in South Cyprus has stressed that the failure of
Tassos Papadopoulos in participating in the second
round of the presidential elections will start a new
phase in the Cyprus issue.
President Talat said 4 years
after the 2004 referenda on the Annan Plan had past
for nothing because Papadopoulos never wanted to
share power with Turkish Cypriots.
“We hope this will change after
the presidential elections. Whoever wins the round,
we are ready for negotiations. We hope that the new
solution process will not end in failure as in the
past and we will do our best not to miss such an
opportunity”, he added.
President Talat stated that if
the intransigent stance of the Greek Cypriot
administration continued, unification of Cyprus
would become a dream and division would be
consolidated. Talat added that the intransigence of
the Greek Cypriot administration was the main
problem.
