PRESIDENT TALAT TO GO TO ANKARA

President Mehmet Ali Talat will go to Ankara today (3 January) upon the invitation of Turkish President Abdullah Gul.

According to the statement issued by the TRNC Presidency President Talat and his accompanying delegation will first visit the Tomb of Ataturk in Ankara. Following the official welcoming ceremony at the Turkish Presidency, President Talat will meet with Abdullah Gul. President Talat will speak to the press following the meeting between the delegations in the Presidency.

President Talat will later meet with the Speaker of Turkish Grand National Assembly Koksal Toptan and then with the delegation of Turkish Foreign Ministry.

President Talat will also attend the dinner to be hosted by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

On Friday, President Talat will meet with Chief of Turkish General Staff Yasar Buyukkanýt and return to the TRNC on the same day.

During his visit in Ankara, President Talat will be accompanied by his wife Oya Talat and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Turgay Avcý.

Presidential Spokesperson Hasan Ercakica in his weekly press briefing yesterday (2 January) pointed out that President Talat’ visit to Ankara was paid in return of Turkish President Abdullah Gul’s visit to the TRNC and to exchange views and make evaluations with Turkish authorities on the Cyprus issue when new initiatives were expected following the presidential elections in South Cyprus in February.

Ercakica said: “President Talat especially in his meetings with President Gul and Prime Minister Erdogan will discuss the current situation of the Cyprus problem and the preparations for the possible initiatives to be taken after February”.

 

 

STATEMENT BY PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON HASAN ERCAKICA ON 2 JANUARY 2008

We would like to state once again that the election oriented statements made in the Greek Cypriot side are discouraging us from raising any hopes for the period after February.

Among the evaluations published in a Greek Cypriot newspaper last weekend, and which had the impression that they were prepared by the candidates themselves, particularly the approach Greek Cypriot leader Mr. Tassos Papadopoulos and General Secretary of AKEL Mr. Dimitris Christofias employed includes considerable negativity.

Greek Cypriot leader Mr. Tassos Papadopoulos has once again reiterated his intention to spread the problem over time by stating that he will not agree to “a limited time-table” regarding the negotiation procedures. It should immediately be stated that the Turkish Cypriot side do not support spreading the quest to reach a solution over time. To that end, we would like to stress one more time that we are standing by the proposal we have submitted during the meeting held on 5 September 2007.

In a settlement that will be reached for the Cyprus problem, political equality of the Turkish Cypriots will be principal. It is not possible to alter this principle under any pretext. The pretexts such as “efficiency of the state mechanism and formation of mechanisms for the adoption of resolute decisions and for conflict resolution” Mr. Papadopoulos kept on repeating, should not prevent the Turkish Cypriot state from participating in the decision making processes actively. Mr. Papadopoulos and those who share his opinion should look for the efficiency of the new partnership state in the respect for the rights of the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots on our island.

Trying to give the impression that he will employ a much more flexible approach towards the Cyprus problem, General Secretary of AKEL Mr. Dimitris Christofias also puts forward ideas that can not be accepted or even negotiated by the Turkish Cypriot side.

It is not possible on our part to assume that all these can be defined as only “election tactics”. It should not be forgotten that any settlement plan that will be reached is to be submitted to the approval of both peoples. Therefore, issuing wrong messages and drawing attention to wrong and impossible targets for the Greek Cypriot people -even if it is for the election purposes only-, will prove the settlement efforts futile and may even hinder the resumption of a serious negotiation process.

In the light of these facts, we invite the Greek Cypriot leaders to common sense. The Cyprus problem should not remain unsettled for a long time. The fact that this problem is not settled costs the Turkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots new opportunities. Deeming this period as an opportunity, the Greek Cypriot leaders should tell the truth to their people and prepare them for a probable future settlement. It should be acknowledged that the Turkish Cypriot side will remain committed to the settlement objective after the February elections as well, and will continue to work in order to reach a settlement within a sensible framework.

 

 

NEAR EAST UNIVERSITY INNOVATION CENTER TAKES ITS PLACE IN THE PROJECTS OF EGEE, EUMED AND KARADENIZ NET

Near East Universities Innovation Center has taken its place within the projects entitled EGEE, EUMED and Karadeniz-NET, which are initiated by the European Union for the broader academic use of super computers owned by few universities in the world.

According to the information given by the Near East University, within the framework of EGEE project the EU countries, within the framework of EUMED the Mediterranean and North African countries and within the framework of Karadeniz-NET the Caucasian countries will be integrated through an electronic system. The large part of the project will be completed in 2008 and in 2010 the whole world will be academically integrated through various centers.