PRESIDENT TALAT: “COMPREHENSIVE NEGOTIATIONS COULD START IN APRIL”

President Mehmet Ali Talat speaking on the AKIS program of BRT television channel stated that a UN delegation is expected to come to the island by the end of March and to inform the UN Secretary General and the UN Security Council about its contacts in Cyprus. Talat added that if the UN took an initiative following the visit of the UN’s mission to the island, the comprehensive negotiations could start in April.

President Talat pointed out that the Annan plan would be the basic reference for the Turkish Cypriot side during the negotiation process.

Talat said if the UN Secretary General took an initiative, the Cyprus problem would either be solved or the division would become permanent.

President Talat said they were waiting for the newly elected Greek Cypriot leader Dimitris Christofias and his team to determine their policies. In response to a question asked when he will meet Christofias Talat said he and UN’s Special Representative to Cyprus Michael Moller would meet on Friday (29 February) and Moller and Christofias would meet on Monday (3 March) and added that a date for a meeting between him and Christofias has not been determined yet.

Explaining that the European Union was a cooperation mechanism and not the guarantor of anybody, Talat stressed that the EU, which has kept the Direct Trade Regulation on its agenda for three years and could not approve it, could not be their guarantor. He added that the EU’s guarantee was not valid for both the Turkish Cypriot side and Turkey as Turkey was not a member.

On being reminded that Christofias had stated that ‘he did not want Turkey’s troops and guarantee’ before the elections President Talat said Christofias’ words meant that he did not want a solution and added that the Greek Cypriot side did not have the right to amend the Treaty of Guarantee and of Alliance which were international agreements.