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TALAT-CHRISTOFIAS MEETING
President
Mehmet Ali Talat and the Greek Cypriot Leader Dimitris Christofias held a
three hour long meeting on Friday (23 May) at the residence of the UN
Secretary General’s Special Representative for Cyprus Taye-Brook Zerihoun.
The two
leaders in Cyprus have reaffirmed their committment to a bi-zonal,
bi-communal federation with political equality as defined by relevent
Security Council resolutions.
Reading out a
joint statement at the end of the meeting, Zerihoun said that the two
leaders had genuine and furitful discussions and reviewed the results
achieved pursuant to the 21 March Agreement.
Zerihoun said
the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment for a federation on the basis of
the political equality of the two sides, as defined by the UN Security
Council resolutions.
Following is
the joint statement issued at the end of the meeting:
“The Leaders
today had genuine and fruitful discussions, and reviewed the results
achieved pursuant to the 21 March agreement.
They reaffirmed
their commitment to a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political
equality, as defined by relevant Security Council resolutions. This
partnership will have a Federal Government with a single international
personality, as well as a Turkish Cypriot Constituent State and a Greek
Cypriot Constituent State, which will be of equal status.
They instructed
their Representatives to examine, within 15 days, the results of the
technical committees.
The
Representatives will consider civilian and military confidence-building
measures. They will also pursue the opening of Limnitis/Yeţilýrmak and
other crossing points.
The Leaders
decided to come together again in the second half of June to make a new
assessment.”
Meanwhile,
Turkey has welcomed the outcome of Friday’s meeting between President Mehmet
Ali Talat and the Greek Cypriot Leader Demetris Christofias.
In a written
statement issued on Friday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said it expected
full-fledged negotiations to establish a new partnership state in Cyprus to
start as soon as possible.
"Turkey
expects the two leaders in Cyprus to start direct talks under the UN
secretary-general's good will mission to find a comprehensive and a fair
settlement which will be based on bi-zonality and political equality of the
two founding states" the statement said.
FOREIGN MINISTER AVCI: “GREEK CYPRIOT SIDE’S MILITARY EXERCISES WILL HARM
THE SOLUTION PROCESS”
Deputy Prime
Minister-Foreign Minister Turgay Avci has stated that the Greek Cypriot
side’s military exercises which will be jointly held with France and Greece
between 2-6 June will bruise the new solution process in Cyprus that started
with the 21st March agreement reached between the two leaders.
In his
written statement, Mr Avci noted that the 21st March agreement
and the opening of the Lokmaci gate have helped the formation of a positive
atmosphere on the island, but warned that such military exercises held by
the Greek Cypriot side will no doubt affect the solution process negatively.
Foreign
Minister said France’s participation in these military exercises with the
South will dampen its neutral position when it becomes the EU
term-president.
`In such a
period where heavy efforts are being taken in order to establish a
partnership in Cyprus on a just and comprehensive basis with political
equality and the UN parameters, the Greek Cypriot side’s military exercises-
which harm mutual trust- show how genuine the Greek Cypriot side is in terms
of providing a solution to the Cyprus problem` Avci said.
Turgay Avci
criticized the Greek Cypriot side for showing its real policy on the Cyprus
issue by holding such military exercises irresponsibly on one hand, and for
making criticisms of the Cyprus Turkish Peace Forces on the other- which he
said is the protector of peace on the island.
`The Greek
Cypriot side’s insistence on taking such initiatives, which harm stability
in the Mediterranean region and help mounting the tensions, clearly proves
the fact that the Turkish Armed Forces which has been deployed in Cyprus
since 1974 is the real guard of peace and freedom` the Foreign Minister
added.
Reminding
that the Turkish Cypriot Side had presented a package of confidence-building
measures to the UN Secretary-General last October, which envisaged the
simultaneous removal of military exercises in Cyprus, Avci said the Turkish
Cypriot side has proved its peaceful stance while the Greek Cypriot side
continues to prove its intransigent attitude by insisting on such military
activities.
The Foreign
Minister called on the international community, especially the countries
which approved the unilateral EU membership of South Cyprus, to come to
realize the facts and take an immediate step to prevent the Greek Cypriot
side from causing further tension.
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