The United Nations Security Council has extended the mandate of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus for another 6 months.

Turkey voted against the resolution, whereas the other 14 members voted for the resolution, which extended the UNFICYP's mandate for a further period ending on the 15th of June next year.

The resolution urges the two sides in Cyprus to put in place confidence-building measures, including the opening of additional crossing points.

GOKERI: "WE SUPPORT THE GOOD OFFICES MISSION OF THE UN"

TRNC New York Representative Ambassador Kemal Gokeri said that they supported the good offices mission of the UN Secretary General in Cyprus and they want a just solution as soon as possible in Cyprus.

After the extension of the UNFICYP's mandate in Cyprus, Ambassador Gokeri made a statement to the UN journalists and answered the questions.

Indicating that after the declaration of the resolution the Greek Representative Minas Hadjimichael made a statement at the UN as if he was the only representative of the government in Cyprus, he stressed that the Greek Cypriot representative did not mentioned that there was not any single government in Cyprus which represents both peoples in the island.

Stressing that there is the TRNC at the North of the island which represents the Turkish Cypriot people and that there is the Greek Cypriot administration in the South which represents the Greek People Gokeri said: "Therefore Greek Cypriot side has no authority or legal base to speak on behalf of the Turkish Cypriot people."

Indicating that in 1963 the Greek Cypriots stole the bi-communal government which was established in 1960, usurped the Turkish Cypriot's rights, however they still acknowledge themselves as the "Republic of Cyprus", Gökeri said that the Cyprus problem has been continuing since 1963 due to this reason.

Reminding that negotiations between the two leaders have been continuing during recent 30-35 years Gökeri said that no improvement has been achieved in the island due to the acceptance of the Greek Cypriots as the "Republic of Cyprus".

APAKAN : "WE REFUSED THE PROCEDURE AND THE LANGUAGE"

Explaining Ankara's `no' vote to the report, Turkish Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan said there had not been a joint government representation of all people of Cyprus.

He objected to references to the so-called `Government of Cyprus', which is being ruled by the Greek Cypriots only.

Mr. Apakan reminded that the Cyprus Turkish People were expelled from the 1960's Republic of Cyprus with the collapse of the partnership state.

The Ambassador said he voted `no' to the resolution, because it failed to seek the open consent of the two sides on the island. He also reiterated Turkey's full support to peaceful efforts in Cyprus.

ERCAKICA: "REPORT OF THE MISSION OF GOOD OFFICES IS AN IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT"

Presidential Spokesperson has said that the preparation of a special report on the UN Secretary General's good offices mission in Cyprus is a sign showing that the negotiation process has entered into an important stage.

Speaking at his weekly press briefing, Hasan Erçakıca expressed the hope that the negotiation process would gain momentum in January, adding that the Turkish Side would do its best to make the process fruitful.

Complaining that December talks did not yield to important progress at the negotiations process because of Greek Cypriot Side's initiatives against Turkey at the European Union, the spokesperson underlined the need for the Greek Cypriot Administration to sit at the table with good will.

Mr Erçakıca pointed out that a report was prepared on the UN Chief's good offices mission in Cyprus in addition to the one extending the mandate of the UN Peace Keeping Forces in Cyprus.

The spokesperson explained that the Turkish Side would send a letter to the UN Chief to explain its views concerning the two reports.

The spokesperson also underlined the need not to put aside the confidence building measures, which he said, would improve relations between the two peoples on the island.

Mr Erçakıca also criticized the Greek Cypriot Side for hindering trade to be made between the two sides within the framework of the Green Line Regulation prepared by the European Union.

ECHR REFUSES APPLICATION RELATED TO 49 GREEK CYPRIOT MISSING PERSONS

It was stated that European Court of Human Rights refused the application related to 49 Greek Cypriot missing persons which was filed by their parents against Turkey.

According to the Greek Cypriot radio RIK, Andreas Angelides who is one of the lawyers of parents who applied expressed that ECHR refused the application for being outdated.
According to the news, the application related to 49 missing persons were made in 2000.

IDENTITIES OF 3 MORE MISSING PERSONS DETERMINED

It was stated that identities of 3 Turkish Cypriots who were captured and killed in 1963 have been determined during the studies of searching for the missing persons.

Naim Huseyin, Kemal Huseyin and Salih Mehmet will be buried with a military ceremony at the Lefkosa Cemetery on 18 December, Friday.

DP WILL NOT ATTEND MEETING OF SLOVAK EMBASSY

It was stated that with the aim of protesting Slovak Embassy, Democrat Party will not attend the meeting which will be realized today in the buffer zone at Ledra Palace Hotel where some Turkish and Greek political party representatives will attend.

In his written statement, DP Foreign Relations Secretary Bengu Sonya expressed that Slovak Embassy which is an initiator for more than 20 years to gather the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot political parties at Ledra Palace and to understand their views mutually, did not attend the invitation of the President Talat which was arranged for the EU Ambassadors on 25 November so DP will protest this event by not attending the meeting today.

TURCO: `TURKISH CYPRIOTS SHOULD ENTER EU SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH TURKEY'

Italy's Radical Party Deputy Maurizo Turco who is a TRNC citizen expressed that he supports the Turkish Cypriots entering the EU simultaneously with Turkey so Turkey will continue to protect the rights of the Turkish Cypriots.

Within the framework of the project ` TRNC media meeting Europe Media', Turco met with the delegation of the TRNC Foreign Press Union under the head of Fevzi Tanpınar who is making contacts in Italy.
He said that no positive result has been achieved in the Cyprus negotiations until today and added that in the issues taken up in the negotiations they did not concentrated on the EU subjects.

He expressed that they were against the idea that Turkish army withdraw before a solution and added that Greek Cypriot's claim that the island was under occupation was not a reality.

Turco recorded that Turkish Cypriots should be an EU member simultaneously with Turkey.

DAVUTOGLU : "TURKEY SUPPORTS APPLICATION OF A SOLUTION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF UN RESOLUTIONS IN CYPRUS"

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu indicated that Turkey supports the application of a solution in Cyprus within the framework of the UN resolutions.

Calling the Arabic countries to develop cooperation with the TRNC, Davutoglu said that cooperation can be developed in the fields of education, trade, tourism, culture, investment and sports.

Davutoglu was speaking at the opening of the Turkish-Arab Cooperation Foreign Ministers Meeting in Damascus and he gave great coverage to the TRNC.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu also said that Turkey supports the application of a solution in Cyprus within the framework of the UN resolutions and called the Arabic countries to develop cooperation with the TRNC.

Turkish thesis related to the TRNC took place both in the speech of Davutoglu and in the final communiqué.