Talat Takes Oath In Parliament And Starts His Term In Office

LEFKOSA - Mehmet Ali Talat, who was elected the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on April 17th, 2005 took oath in the parliament and started his term in office on Sunday.
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul represented Turkey in the oath-taking ceremony.
After the oath-taking ceremony, Rauf Denktas handed over his post to Talat in TRNC Presidential Palace and said in his speech that a new period had started for Turkish Cypriots and it was an historical day.
Denktas said that Talat was elected president in 2005 which was announced as EOKA year by Greek Cypriots.
Noting that Turkish Cypriot people backed Talat, Denktas said that he would always help Talat in his mission. The mission of the new president was to protect and defend the state and the republic and to protect the independence, Denktas said.
Also calling on the Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos, Denktas said that he should open the way to peace and not to manipulate the good will of Talat. ''We will be happy if we can see Papadopoulos hand in hand with Talat,'' said Denktas.
Mehmet Ali Talat, who took the post from Denktas said in his part that he had big responsibility on his shoulders and he was aware of the reason why that responsibility was given to him.
Thanking Rauf Denktas for all of the things he did for the Turkish Cypriots, Talat said that a new period started for Turkish Cypriots who have decided to be the creator of a new history, rather than being the slave of the history.
''We give our hand of peace and friendship to Greek Cypriots and we will continue to do so,'' Talat said, stressing that Turkish Cypriots should no longer live in an isolation.
Calling on the international society to respond to the will of the Turkish Cypriots who wanted to integrate with the world, Talat said that they were in a period of creating a new Cyprus in EU by protecting the common future of children. ''Now Turkish Cypriots call Greek Cypriots to write the history together and they have charged me to make this peace call,'' said Talat.
''The uncompromising attitude of Papadopoulos is not only an obstacle for Turkish Cypriots to live with Greek Cypriots, but it is also an obstacle for reconciliation of Cyprus with Europe and with the world,'' he added.