Council Of Europe Parliamentarians Assembly Accepts Cyprus Report

STRASBOURG, Jan 22 (A.A) - Council of Europe Parliamentarians Assembly (COEPA) on Tuesday adopted a draft resolution, and made some warnings to the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides for the solution of Cyprus question.
COEPA, in its warning made to the Greek Cypriot side, wanted them to refrain from giving political messages about the European Union (EU) which will provocate the Turkish side.
The draft resolution called on the Greek Cypriot side to show a more understanding attitute towards international negotiators who aim at helping both sides to find a solution to the problem when they refer to personalities in the northern part of the Island with regards to titles.
The warning made to the Greek Cypriot side wanted them to exert every necessary efforts for the participation of the Turkish Cypriot side to the full membership negotiations made with the EU, and also wanted them to brief the Turkish side regarding the benefits of participation to the EU.
The warning made by COEPA to the Turkish side called on the Turkish Cypriots to adopt a more positive approach to the EU, and also wanted them to remove the restrictions brought to the individual contacts of those who live in Greek Cypriot side.
The draft resolution said political parties in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) should exhibit a more understanding attitute in contacts with the political parties in Greek Cypriot side.
The draft resolution said the EU should search for facilities of contact with the Turkish side, and also advised them to open an information bureau in the TRNC pertaining to the benefits of the EU membership.
The draft resolution claimed that Turkey should give up threats toward the inclusion of the Greek Cypriot side to the EU membership before a political solution is found.
Before the voting of the report in COEPA general assembly session, most of the parliamentarians said necessary support should be extended for the success of the negotiations carried out by TRNC President Rauf Denktas and the Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides.
Hungarian Parliamentarian Andreas Barsony, speaking before the voting, said the report treated equally to the both sides, noting that his target was to help the efforts to find a solution.
Uluc Gurkan, leader of the COEPA Turkish delegation, pointed out that the talks started with the initiatives of TRNC President Denktas, stressing that necessary chance should be given to the two leaders pertaining to the solution of the question, and that they should not be in a hurry.
Stressing that there should not be any intervention from outside, Gurkan said nobody should be in an effort to impose a solution.
Mehmet Telek, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) parliamentarian and Atilla Mutman, the Democratic Left Party (DSP) parliamentarian, who spoke during the meeting, harsly reacted to the statements of some European parliamentarians who described Turkish army as occupier. Telek and Mutman gave information about the reasons of the peace operation.
Vecdi Gonul from the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and Tayyibe Gulek from the DSP, pointed out the negative effects of the embargo imposed on TRNC, and stressed the difficulties which the Turkish Cyprots have to face.

DENKTAS ''DECISIONS COULD BE OVERCOME BY GOOD WILL''
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas has said that ''Problems could be overcome if there is good will and good will can be shown by accepting realities.''
Denktas indicated that they gave no information to the Turkish press about the ongoing talks but the Greek Cypriot side leaked information to its own press creating misimpressions among people.
Denktas received Nationalist Justice Party (MAP) Chairman Kenan Akin and his delegation on Tuesday. During the meeting, Denktas stated that they would discuss certain parts of the problems but the issues on which they cannnot make any concessions would remain untouched.
At the end of the talks, Denktas said they would assess all the issues discussed, including those on which they failed to reach an agreement. They would later decide weather to go on or not with the talks. ''If there's hope, we would continue. If not, it means there's still separation. Each side would explain it to his own people and reach a decision.''
''This is a matter of good will. Problems can be overcome if there's good will and good will can be shown by accepting realities,'' he commented.
Denktas said that the news that had taken place in some Greek Cypriot newspapers and which said that the citizens defined as ''settled'' would be taken out of the island by being paid 5 thousand British pounds did not reflect the realities.
TRNC President Denktas said, ''there is not 'settled' here. There are 'TRNC citizens.' Our citizens are not for sale. Our citizens are not people who will be deceived by money and leave their territory, country and homeland.''