EROGLU: “TURKISH SIDE IS READY TO TAKE NEW STEPS TOWARDS A SOLUTION TO THE CYPRUS PROBLEM IF THE GREEK CYPRIOT SIDE TAKE SIMILAR STEPS”

President Derviş Eroğlu has said that the Cyprus Turkish Side was ready to take new steps towards a solution to the Cyprus Problem if the Greek Cypriot Side took similar steps. President Derviş Eroğlu received the main opposition Republican Turkish Party’s Women’s Branch today within the framework of events marking the 8th of March World Women’s Day.

Briefing the women on the latest stage of the Cyprus negotiations process, the President said that the Cyprus Turkish Side has demonstrated its willingness for a solution.

He however underlined the need for the Greek Cypriot side to share the same willingness if a solution is to be reached.

Reminding that the Cyprus Turkish Side has taken numerous steps towards achieving an agreement only to be met with Greek Cypriot intransigence, EroÄŸlu said that the latest example of this was seen at the Greentree summit as the Greek Cypriot leader had attended the summit with instructions from the Greek Cypriot National Council not to make any concessions.

EroÄŸlu repeated his view that the Greek Cyriot leader should not be expected to show any flexibility due to the election atmosphere in South Cyprus.

OZGURGUN: “VARIOUS CIRCLES HAVE BECOME AN INSTRUMENT TO GREEK CYPRIOT PROPAGANDA”

Foreign Minister Hüseyin Özgürgün has said that statements made by the Turkish Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bağış reiterating the Turkish Side’s willingness for a solution was deliberately distorted with the aim of portraying Turkey as opposed to a solution. Issuing a written statement, the TRNC Foreign Minister Hüseyin Özgürgün said that such efforts by various circles were futile.

The Foreign Minister said the fact that various circles in the TRNC had become an instrument to Greek Cypriot propaganda at a time when it became evident that the Greek Cypriot Administration had no intention of reaching a just and comprehensive solution was thought-provoking.

Özgürgün also strongly condemned the Greek Cypriot Administration’s spokesman Stefanos Stefanou for describing the Turkish Minister’s remarks as “cynical, arrogant and provocative”.

OZERSAY: “ARGUMENTS OF TURKISH SIDE ARE WITHIN UN PARAMETERS”

The President’s Special Representative Kudret Özersay has stressed that the arguments put forward by the Cyprus Turkish Side at the negotiating table were within established UN Parameters.

He also said that the international community wasn’t the slightest concerned on this issue.

Speaking on Bayrak Haber’s morning show, the President’s Special Representative Kudret Özersay said that the process of exchanging arguments and positions at the negotiations process had been completed to a great extend. He said that there was a need for political determination at the stage reached.

Özersay said that he had stepped up his visits and contacts abroad with the aim of explaining the Cyprus Turkish Side’s positions at various decision making centers and diplomatic missions.

Highlighting the importance of face-to-face meetings of the two leaders in terms of carrying out a process of give-and-take, the Special Representative said that the Greek Cypriot Side was disturbed with the term give-and-take which was why it wasn’t used.
He however said that the Greek Cypriot Side had to explain to its public that it is not possible to reach a solution without indulging a process of give-and-take.

Pointing out that the Cyprus Turkish Side was ready to show all kinds of flexibility in the talks on the grounds that the Greek Cypriot Side did the same, Özersay said “we are aware that we should not expect any agreement to meet all the demands of the two sides.

REPRESENTATIVES ARE MEETING TODAY

Kudret Özersay, Special Representative of the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Derviş Eroğlu and Yorgos Yakovu, the Special Representative of the Greek Cypriot Administration Leader Dimistris Hristofias are meeting today within the framework of the negotiation process in order to find a solution to the Cyprus Problem.

STRAW: ‘DIVISION IS AN ALTERNATIVE’

UK’s Former Foreign Minister Jack Straw made a statement to Turkey’s Radikal Newspaper and said that Greek Cypriot Administration has taken the EU as a hostage, ‘If there is not any change, international community should try to consider the division of the island as an alternative’.

Straw also stated that division of the island should be taken into consideration because currently ‘de facto’ division gives advantage only to the Greek Cypriots not to the Turkish Cypriots.

Moreover, Straw expressed that division is another way for the solution of the Territory Issue.

This statement of Straw shocked the Greek Cypriot side so Greek Cypriot Administration demanded from UK’s Cypriots Federation to put an end to the expressions of Straw.

PRESIDENT EROGLU: ‘THE MAIN CONDITION TO BE A MODERN COUNTRY IS TO INCREASE ACTIVITIES OF WOMEN’

President Dervis Eroglu said that the main condition to be a modern country is to increase the activities of women in each field, and in this sense, President Eroglu indicated to the importance of 8 March International Women’s Day.

In his message on the occasion of 8 March International Women’s Day, Eroglu expressed ‘it should never be forgotten that women have a big contribution for the prosperity of our state, for the struggle of existence and freedom which has been continuing for about a century. According to me, the expression ‘there is a woman behind each successful man’ is true, and women have a big effect on the success of our state. Women have undertaken very active missions during the establishment of our state and I do not doubt that they will do their duties during the next national and communal processes with their knowledge, culture and education’ Eroglu added.