Cyprus-Forum.com

[halil]

It’s been announced that TC's leader Mehmet Ali Talat and GC's leader Demetris Christofias will meet on the 23rd of May to evaluate the work being carried out by working groups and technical committees.
The announcement was made by Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer following the President’s speech in an extraordinary session of the Parliament today on the latest developments concerning the Cyprus issue.

Mr Soyer expressed the strong willingness towards the start of the comprehensive negotiations process between the two leaders in June under the UN guidance, as agreed in the 21st March agreement, in order to find a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem.

The Premier reiterated the Turkish Cypriot side’s committment for a solution based on political equality, bi-zonality and the establishment of a partnership by two constituent states under the UN parameters.

Also speaking at the end of the closed session, the Leader of the main opposition National Unity Party Tahsin Ertugruloglu said the 8th July process-which he described as wrong- is continuing and claimed that the Turkish Cypriot side is trying to put the process forward under the lack of proper preparation and experience as the ‘red lines’ have not been set.

Pointing out that the Greek Cypriot side has not changed its policies on the Cyprus problem, UBP Leader expressed the view that the unsuccessful process which has been going on for 40 years is just being maintained.

Deputy Leader of the Freedom and Reform Party and the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Mustafa Gokmen stated that working groups and technical committees are working in good faith in order to overcome the difficulties faced in critical subject-areas such as the property and population.

Mr Gokmen emphasized that the Turkish Cypriot side will continue its efforts towards maintaining the works for a solution.

For his part, the Communal Democracy Party MP Mustafa Akinci stated that the 21st March is a very new process and it will not be much possible to make a successful evaluation of it so far.

Also speaking after the session, the Leader of the Democrat Party Serdar Denktas announced that his party will writtenly explain its views on the latest developments on the Cyprus issue to President Talat and the Speaker of the Parliament Fatma Ekenoglu in the coming days.

However, Mr Denktas also claimed that the pattern which is being followed is far from reaching the sensitivities of all sides of the society.

The TRNC Parliament will convene again on the 15th of May, Thursday when President Talat will listen to the views of leaders and representatives of political parties on the Cyprus issue.

The two leaders of Cyprus met at a special reception held at the Ledra Palace Hotel in the capital, hosted by the Slovakian Embassy, which has been organizing round table meetings for Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot political parties.

No statement was issued after the meeting but the two leaders are said to have agreed to continue their talks.

TAK News Agency said that Talat and Christofias agreed on the need to continue their discussions and shared this view with representatives of Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot political parties and other guests attending the reception.