EROGLU: “WE HAD THE LAST OF THE LEADERS MEETING TODAY”

President Dervish Eroglu said they had the last of the Leaders meeting today, adding that they would wait for the decision of the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon and make an assessment according to his decision.

Eroglu said, the Special Adviser of the UN Secretary General Alexander Downer would declare his short report tomorrow. After the assessment of the latest situation in New York on the 19th of April, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, will decide whether an international conference would be called or not would be taken, added EroÄŸlu.

“So, we clearly expressed that we fulfilled the last of the Leaders meeting today. We will wait the decision of the UN Secretary General that will arouse in the light of the report of Downer. We will make an assessment considering that report” quoted Eroglu.

President Dervish Eroglu and Greek Cypriot Leader Dimitris Christofyas came together in the framework of the negotiations in the morning at the UN Controlled Buffer zone.

SECOND STEP IN THE PROJECT OF THE CENTURY

The water transfer project from motherland Turkey to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus continues. Commenting on the issue yesterday, Prime Minister İrsen Küçük said the project continues with no problems and without delay thanks to motherland Turkey.
The water transfer project which envisages the 5 million cubic meters of water to be transported from Turkey to the TRNC via a pipeline by 2014 continues.
As part of the project, the ground-breaking ceremony of the Geçitköy Dam will be held today with the participation of state and government officials from the TRNC and Turkey.
According to a statement by the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the Geçitköy Dam which will have the capacity of storing 26.5 million cubic meters of water will be used for the storage of 75 million cubic meters of water annually which will be transferred from the Alaköprü Dam in Turkey.

Prime Minister İrsen Küçük said that the ground- breaking ceremony of the Geçitköy Dam will take place with the participation of Turkish Deputy Prime Minister who is also in Charge of Cyprus Affairs Beşir Atalay on Friday.

Also commenting on the issue, Turkish Minister of Forestry and Water Works Veysel EroÄŸlu said works are continuing day and night to finish the project until the 7th of March 2014.

A THANK-YOU PHONE CALL FROM FÃœLE TO EROÄžLU

European Commissioner for Enlargement Stefan Füle called up TRNC President Derviş Eroğlu and thanked him for showing flexibility and constructiveness at the last critical phase on Cyprus issue. In his phone call, Füle said “I thank you for showing great statesmanship and leadership”.

Stefan Füle stated that he met with President of European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso and he also felt appreciation due to the steps taken by Turkish Cypriot side.

FÜLE : “THERE IS NO ‘B PLAN’”

European Commissioner for Enlargement Stefan Füle made a speech in the General Assembly in European Parliament yesterday and stated that there is not any ‘B plan’ other than existing procedure in the Cyprus problem, and he added that UN supports the implementation of the course of action and leaves the option of international conference open.

Greek Cypriot daily Simerini stated that Füle used the mentioned statement within the framework of EU membership process of Turkey and the related evaluation report to be voted yesterday.

According to the news, Füle wishes the completion of procedure of direct negotiations following the report of UN Secretary General’s Special Advisor to Cyprus Alexander Downer and used the expression “because there is not any alternative procedure”. Füle has supported the implementation of the course of action determined by the UN which leads to a multilateral conference.

DOWNER INFORMED UN SECURITY COUNCIL

UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon’s Special Advisor to Cyprus Alexander Downer, informed UN Security Council by a video conference about the Ban’s last Cyprus report.

UK’s Permanent Representative of UN Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant made statement after the conference which was not open to press and said that Downer will prepare a report to present to Secretary General in the second half of April and in the light of this report they will make a decision about the future steps on the Cyprus Issue.

BEŞPARMAK GROUP: “IT’S TIME FOR THE UN SECRETARY GENERAL TO BEHAVE REALISTICALLY”

The Besparmak Group which was formed by a group of wise Turkish Cypriots pointed out that it is time for the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon to behave realistically and express bravely the needs and the realities after all the resolution opportunities have been tried in the Cyprus Issue.

The Besparmak Group underlined that expressing the realties may help to find a solution after 50 years of delay. It is stated that the continuation of pressure on the Turkish Cypriot side may damage the balances on the parameters which are agreed by the two side federal partnership. Also the pressure on the Turkish Side is creating deep economic differences between the two sides and also it is far from helping to a solution.