Cyprus-Forum.com

[halil]

Speech by President Talat at the European Policy Centre in Brussels

"Thank you very much.

Thanks to the European Policy Centre for organising this event and inviting me to address to these valuable guests.

…We have a meeting tomorrow, which will mark the beginning of substantive negotiations. We already officially started full-fledged negotiations but we are going to take the Cyprus problem with all its dimensions as of tomorrow. Our commitment is to go until the end. We will possibly finalise and conclude an agreement on equal footing under the Good Offices Mission of the United Nations Secretary-General. Our target will be a comprehensive settlement; comprehensive settlement, meaning we will solve all the aspects of the Cyprus problem instead of reaching a piecemeal or step-by-step solution. Comprehensive solution has been the general understanding of the United Nations since the beginning of the Cyprus problem. More than 40 years of negotiations led the international community to ask for a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem, instead of a piecemeal solution. I wanted to underscore this important fact, because sometimes we hear arguments regarding a piecemeal, a step-by-step solution. That has never been an accepted procedure in the negotiations to solve the Cyprus problem. So, we are seeking a comprehensive settlement. Although we have different views on various aspects of the Cyprus problem, we believe that through negotiations, we will be able to solve and bridge the different views. This will be done with good will and flexibility. And I think we will be able to succeed to really bridge the different views and solve the problem. Four decades of negotiations caused a huge accumulation of principles, which have been named by the UN as ‘body of work.’ So we have a huge body of work to use for a solution. We are not going to start from scratch. If I wanted to name the turning points of this body of work, I can say it can be started by the 1977-79 High Level Agreements; then the famous Perez de Cuellar document of 1985-86; 1999 Boutros Boutros Ghali Set of Ideas; and very recently the Annan Plan, which was the most comprehensive and detailed plan comprised of around 9,000 pages. The Annan Plan envisaged a new state to function from day one as a normal state…. We think that solution should not take long because already the problem is a very long, very lengthy problem. It began in 1963, and it is a forty five years-old problem. Almost five decades. So we need to solve the problem as soon as possible. We believe that time is not for the benefit of a solution. So we believe that we should solve the problem as soon as possible.

Solution will be a partnership state, which was so, also in 1960. 1960 Agreements established a partnership state, where Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots were politically equal. At that time, there was no bi-zonality in the region, but political equality was present. So, I can say that 1960 Republic of Cyprus was actually a functional federation. It was not a unitary state, as it is sometimes argued... It was a functional federation.
Without approval of Turkish Cypriot State’s members of parliament… or the vice-president, nothing could be done. The other functions were almost exactly the same of a federation.

[b]So now, we are going to establish a new partnership in the same manner. But this time, based on bi-zonality, which is accepted by both sides. The agreement, of course, must reflect the fact that Cyprus is the common home of Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots, and their relationship is not one of majority and minority, but of political equality- political equality of Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots. This is the most crucial principle for Turkish Cypriots, because every kind of arrangement to safeguard the integrity and the preservation of the identity of Turkish Cypriots cannot be as important as political equality… It should include safeguards to ensure that neither side can claim jurisdiction over the other.

Also, as we agreed in our last meeting, the settlement should be put to separate simultaneous referenda in order to be approved.

As you know, a new special advisor has been appointed by the Secretary-General, Mr. Alexander Downer . We are working with him. By a constructive and positive approach, we will be able to solve the problem. This is our firm belief. We believe that the ramifications of a settlement in Cyprus will be far reaching. There will be sustainable peace and prosperity in the Eastern Mediterranean region and both Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots will be able to equally enjoy the benefits of the EU membership.

At this point, I want to highlight the expected role of the European Union by Turkish Cypriots. First of all, as always said, EU should be ready to accommodate the terms of any prospective settlement to its own legal order. This is very crucial. The promise given by EU in this regard, caused the commencement of the negotiations…. And actually the EU, in many discussions, promised particularly to Turkish Cypriots to accommodate the terms of any prospective settlement to its own legal order. This is very crucial... We also need this agreement to be secure. And for this, Turkish Cypriots demand particularly that the deviations, if there will be any, become primary law in the European legal order. Hence, Turkish Cypriots are not very confident with the way, which is now decided by the EU - to make the agreement part of the European legal order, which is through Protocol Number 10. So we are discussing nowadays in Cyprus, between the two sides and also with the EU officials, to find ways to give enough safeguards to Turkish Cypriots for making this primary law in the European Union system. We also need technical assistance from the EU. Since we are going to be part of the European Union, as Turkish Cypriot State together with the Greek Cypriot State, - but they are already in the EU but we are not – we need the EU to give technical assistance to Turkish Cypriots to prepare a durable settlement in the European system. I said technical assistance on purpose because, of course, we cannot ask for political assistance, since the EU does not have as the UN’s a huge accumulated knowledge regarding the Cyprus problem. This is the number one reason. Secondly, the Greek Cypriot side is a member of EU, but Turkish Cypriots are out. So, the EU cannot be impartial in approaching the Cyprus problem. As a matter of fact, we face this in many occasions and we are facing this continuously. So we need technical assistance from the EU… Another important expectation from the EU is to encourage the Greek Cypriots for a solution, because actually there are very few incentives for Greek Cypriots to solve this problem. Very few incentives. Particularly by entering the EU, they lost their incentives... The perceived security threat of Greek Cypriots has been vanished by entering the EU. Actually, it was not maybe a real threat but it was perceived as a threat. Now, it is not there. They are a member of the EU, they are a member of the UN, they are a member of the international community. So, they do not need a solution as badly as Turkish Cypriots do. So, the EU should encourage the Greek Cypriot side for a solution, and actually guide them sometimes and show them the importance of a solution. … Ending this problem would contribute to the meaning of EU and European integration.

And a few words on the regulations, which were envisaged to be adopted by the EU. As you remember, in 2004, just after the referenda, European Council in an urgent manner adopted the Green Line Regulation before the Greek Cypriot side entered the EU formally…This has been enforced when Cyprus entered the EU formally. The second issue was the decision of the European Council to lift the isolation of Turkish Cypriots- and to this end, to adopt two regulations: the Financial Aid Regulation and Direct Trade Regulation. The Financial Aid Regulation, after a lot of problems and hurdles created by the Greek Cypriot side, has been adopted two years after of its presentation. It was submitted to the Council in 2004 July, and it was adopted in 2006 during the Austrian Presidency. The Direct Trade Regulation is still waiting, if not killed. It is in a dormant situation. The Financial Aid Regulation is not fully functional... The Greek Cypriot side creates a lot of problems, daily problems and the implementation is becoming very difficult everyday. And of course, this causes a lot of disappointment among Turkish Cypriots. The Green Line Regulation is also not fully functional, because of many reasons - maybe not directly because of its implementation; but for example if a Turkish Cypriot company decides to participate in the International Cyprus Fair on the Greek Cypriot side, that company cannot take its goods to the Greek Cypriot side as they are sold (in the north)… It is not possible, for example, to write on the cover that this is a produce of Turkish Cypriots, or write the address for example as Famagusta or Kyrenia or North Cyprus. These all are prohibited. So in the course of years, the participation of Turkish companies to the international fair dropped. he Greek Cypriot newspapers reject to publish advertisements from the North. It is not possible, for example, to publish an advertisement of a supermarket in the Greek Cypriot press. It is not officially prohibited, but they do not do it. But this is always possible in the Turkish Cypriot side. Turkish Cypriot press is so free that they publish the official declarations of the Greek Cypriot government… Maybe these are not directly preventing the flow of the goods but, they are important impediments for trade…. Turkish Cypriot trucks cannot enter the Greek Cypriot side. If a company intends to sell its goods to the Greek Cypriot side, Greek Cypriot trucks need to come to the North and carry the goods. Neither can the buses. Buses cannot go. For example, it is not possible for tourists to go to a hotel (in the north) from Larnaca Airport by Turkish Cypriot buses. Only Greek Cypriot buses can bring them to the Turkish Cypriot side…

Furthermore, the case of human trafficking, as you know, has become a great concern in Europe. This is also because of the reluctance of Greek Cypriot side to cooperate with Turkish Cypriot authorities. Why? Because they do not recognise Turkish Cypriot authorities, they do not accept that there is police in the North or they do not accept that there are courts in the North or they do not accept that there are security measures and forces. They refuse to cooperate. But the Turkish Cypriot side is decisively combatting human trafficking. I can give you many figures but lastly in 2008, and only in 2008, 540 immigrants were identified and deported. We have a mobile radar and now we are preparing a stable radar to monitor the Turkish Cypriot shores in order to avoid illegal entrance to the Turkish Cypriot soil. There are arguments by Greek Cypriot side that 95% of illegal immigrants come from the North. This is not a logical argument. Their shores are very well protected except for the Green Line? This is not logical. If they can protect their shores and only 5% is coming from their shores or maybe some percentage directly from airports and seaports, they should also be able to protect the Green Line. These are manipulations and unfortunately, they found their way in the EU reports. The Green Line Report of the commission is full of these distorted figures because they use the official figures of the Greek Cypriot government. But they are not true.

So, we expect to solve this diplomatic problem once and for all, by a comprehensive solution, so that we will not complain about these unimportant issues and we will have close cooperation and a durable partnership between the two peoples. This is our target, this is our aim, and we are determined to work on it. Thank you for your attention."

[/b]

[Kikapu]

Is it my imagination, that only about 3-4 people in the photograph are actually paying any attention to Talat. All the rest seem to be either talking with each other or just not paying any attention to him at all.

Everytime I read a speech by Talat, many questions come to mind to ask.

Why is it, that every time Talat says, that when there is a solution based on BBF, the North State will be in the EU, as well as the South State. Surely he must mean, that upon a settlement, finally the the whole island will be in the EU and not just the North and South as individual states, as if they were two individual countries. Following his logic, if Switzerland was to join the EU, there will be 26 cantons entering the EU separately and not under one country called Switzerland. Same example can also be used for Britain, that we don't have England, Wales, Scotland and N. Ireland in the EU as individual states. No, they are all part of the country that represent all of them, so the same will be in Cyprus, where the RoC represents the North and South in the EU and the UN. This is why, that every time Talat talks, he is talking about a partition with separate sovereignty and citizenship, or else I have gotten the whole thing wrong, in which case I apologise. I wish someone can set the record straight for me..

[Nikitas]

Kikapu,

The buraucrats of the EU Commission will set him straight about who joins the EU and in what guise and that the rules are. They do it to Greece often, over things like rubbish tips, recognition of university degrees and other mundane but nevertheless important matters. They also have ways to enforce their decisions, painful things like fines and blocking of financing. Ouch!

[Kikapu]

Kikapu,

The buraucrats of the EU Commission will set him straight about who joins the EU and in what guise and that the rules are. They do it to Greece often, over things like rubbish tips, recognition of university degrees and other mundane but nevertheless important matters. They also have ways to enforce their decisions, painful things like fines and blocking of financing. Ouch!

But the question is Nikitas, is Talat expecting for the North to become a seperate EU member seperate from the RoC just by having a settlement with a BBF. Even at worse case scenario that the BBF is a Confederation as the AP was, how does Talat make the quantum leap in thinking, that the North will be entering the EU seperate from the RoC. The RoC is already in the EU as well as all her citizens, GC's and TC's alike. The only thing that's left to do, is to bring the North to the EU standards and it's done. It will be the RoC central government that will represent both the North and the South in the EU and the UN, and not each states representing themselves individually within the Federation, or have I gotten this wrong.?

[Viewpoint]

Kikapu,

The buraucrats of the EU Commission will set him straight about who joins the EU and in what guise and that the rules are. They do it to Greece often, over things like rubbish tips, recognition of university degrees and other mundane but nevertheless important matters. They also have ways to enforce their decisions, painful things like fines and blocking of financing. Ouch!

But the question is Nikitas, is Talat expecting for the North to become a seperate EU member seperate from the RoC just by having a settlement with a BBF. Even at worse case scenario that the BBF is a Confederation as the AP was, how does Talat make the quantum leap in thinking, that the North will be entering the EU seperate from the RoC. The RoC is already in the EU as well as all her citizens, GC's and TC's alike. The only thing that's left to do, is to bring the North to the EU standards and it's done. It will be the RoC central government that will represent both the North and the South in the EU and the UN, and not each states representing themselves individually within the Federation, or have I gotten this wrong.?

Dont get you knickers in a twist the only thing on offer a BBf with political equality thats why they have been discussing how they will share power. he trying to emphasie that this deal is a partnership just as it was in 1960, but this time it will of 2 states. When you think it through if a 2 state solution is agree then one state would already be in and the other state will follow.

[Oracle]

Kikapu,

The buraucrats of the EU Commission will set him straight about who joins the EU and in what guise and that the rules are. They do it to Greece often, over things like rubbish tips, recognition of university degrees and other mundane but nevertheless important matters. They also have ways to enforce their decisions, painful things like fines and blocking of financing. Ouch!

But the question is Nikitas, is Talat expecting for the North to become a seperate EU member seperate from the RoC just by having a settlement with a BBF. Even at worse case scenario that the BBF is a Confederation as the AP was, how does Talat make the quantum leap in thinking, that the North will be entering the EU seperate from the RoC. The RoC is already in the EU as well as all her citizens, GC's and TC's alike. The only thing that's left to do, is to bring the North to the EU standards and it's done. It will be the RoC central government that will represent both the North and the South in the EU and the UN, and not each states representing themselves individually within the Federation, or have I gotten this wrong.?

Dont get you knickers in a twist the only thing on offer a BBf with political equality thats why they have been discussing how they will share power. he trying to emphasie that this deal is a partnership just as it was in 1960, but this time it will of 2 states. When you think it through if a 2 state solution is agree then one state would already be in and the other state will follow.

For anything like that to have the remotest possibility of coming to pass VP, Turkey will have to get into the EU first, and then exercise a great deal of power and influence from within.

Ergo it will never happen as Turkey is fast receding from Europe, as though it were on a different continental plate and drifting off Eastwards into the arms of Islam and Curtailments of speech to embarrass the most fundamentalist states.

[Kikapu]

Kikapu,

The buraucrats of the EU Commission will set him straight about who joins the EU and in what guise and that the rules are. They do it to Greece often, over things like rubbish tips, recognition of university degrees and other mundane but nevertheless important matters. They also have ways to enforce their decisions, painful things like fines and blocking of financing. Ouch!

But the question is Nikitas, is Talat expecting for the North to become a seperate EU member seperate from the RoC just by having a settlement with a BBF. Even at worse case scenario that the BBF is a Confederation as the AP was, how does Talat make the quantum leap in thinking, that the North will be entering the EU seperate from the RoC. The RoC is already in the EU as well as all her citizens, GC's and TC's alike. The only thing that's left to do, is to bring the North to the EU standards and it's done. It will be the RoC central government that will represent both the North and the South in the EU and the UN, and not each states representing themselves individually within the Federation, or have I gotten this wrong.?

Dont get you knickers in a twist the only thing on offer a BBf with political equality thats why they have been discussing how they will share power. he trying to emphasie that this deal is a partnership just as it was in 1960, but this time it will of 2 states. When you think it through if a 2 state solution is agree then one state would already be in and the other state will follow.

The RoC is the one who will represent both the states in the EU and the UN and not themselves individually. If that's not the case, then you are back to the old "Virgin Birth" concept as it was in the AP. You are not talking about a unified Cyprus, but a Two Separate Sovereign States under a loose Federation (Confederation) where either state can declare independence anytime they want with a referendum from the majority of those who live in them. I think the message was very loud and clear from the GC's in 2004 with an OXI on the same proposal. This time around, there wont even be an OXI if Talat pushes this as a settlement, because the talks will end in a deadlock, which will mean there will not be any referendums to vote on. Talat can spin this anyway he wants to be seen as the good guy while he tries to make the GC's to be the bad guys to the EU, but at the end of the day, the RoC will retain it's position in the EU and the UN, while the north receives scraps from the EU and a huge handout from Turkey, as well as a huge veto power over the head of Turkey for her EU dreams, held by the RoC. If Talat is not careful, it will be he, the TC's and Turkey will be the ones who will lose playing this deadly game of Russian Roulette. The GC's will just sit and wait until the next round of negotiation, sometimes in the future as they move forward economically and politically on the world's stage while the north remains in a "time capsule" from the past.

[zan]

Kikapu,

The buraucrats of the EU Commission will set him straight about who joins the EU and in what guise and that the rules are. They do it to Greece often, over things like rubbish tips, recognition of university degrees and other mundane but nevertheless important matters. They also have ways to enforce their decisions, painful things like fines and blocking of financing. Ouch!

But the question is Nikitas, is Talat expecting for the North to become a seperate EU member seperate from the RoC just by having a settlement with a BBF. Even at worse case scenario that the BBF is a Confederation as the AP was, how does Talat make the quantum leap in thinking, that the North will be entering the EU seperate from the RoC. The RoC is already in the EU as well as all her citizens, GC's and TC's alike. The only thing that's left to do, is to bring the North to the EU standards and it's done. It will be the RoC central government that will represent both the North and the South in the EU and the UN, and not each states representing themselves individually within the Federation, or have I gotten this wrong.?

Dont get you knickers in a twist the only thing on offer a BBf with political equality thats why they have been discussing how they will share power. he trying to emphasie that this deal is a partnership just as it was in 1960, but this time it will of 2 states. When you think it through if a 2 state solution is agree then one state would already be in and the other state will follow.

The RoC is the one who will represent both the states in the EU and the UN and not themselves individually. If that's not the case, then you are back to the old "Virgin Birth" concept as it was in the AP. You are not talking about a unified Cyprus, but a Two Separate Sovereign States under a loose Federation (Confederation) where either state can declare independence anytime they want with a referendum from the majority of those who live in them. I think the message was very loud and clear from the GC's in 2004 with an OXI on the same proposal. This time around, there wont even be an OXI if Talat pushes this as a settlement, because the talks will end in a deadlock, which will mean there will not be any referendums to vote on. Talat can spin this anyway he wants to be seen as the good guy while he tries to make the GC's to be the bad guys to the EU, but at the end of the day, the RoC will retain it's position in the EU and the UN, while the north receives scraps from the EU and a huge handout from Turkey, as well as a huge veto power over the head of Turkey for her EU dreams, held by the RoC. If Talat is not careful, it will be he, the TC's and Turkey will be the ones who will lose playing this deadly game of Russian Roulette. The GC's will just sit and wait until the next round of negotiation, sometimes in the future as they move forward economically and politically on the world's stage while the north remains in a "time capsule" from the past.

The OXI from the GCs was orchestrated by Tpap. There will not be a next time.......

[Viewpoint]

Kikapu,

The buraucrats of the EU Commission will set him straight about who joins the EU and in what guise and that the rules are. They do it to Greece often, over things like rubbish tips, recognition of university degrees and other mundane but nevertheless important matters. They also have ways to enforce their decisions, painful things like fines and blocking of financing. Ouch!

But the question is Nikitas, is Talat expecting for the North to become a seperate EU member seperate from the RoC just by having a settlement with a BBF. Even at worse case scenario that the BBF is a Confederation as the AP was, how does Talat make the quantum leap in thinking, that the North will be entering the EU seperate from the RoC. The RoC is already in the EU as well as all her citizens, GC's and TC's alike. The only thing that's left to do, is to bring the North to the EU standards and it's done. It will be the RoC central government that will represent both the North and the South in the EU and the UN, and not each states representing themselves individually within the Federation, or have I gotten this wrong.?

Dont get you knickers in a twist the only thing on offer a BBf with political equality thats why they have been discussing how they will share power. he trying to emphasie that this deal is a partnership just as it was in 1960, but this time it will of 2 states. When you think it through if a 2 state solution is agree then one state would already be in and the other state will follow.

The RoC is the one who will represent both the states in the EU and the UN and not themselves individually. If that's not the case, then you are back to the old "Virgin Birth" concept as it was in the AP. You are not talking about a unified Cyprus, but a Two Separate Sovereign States under a loose Federation (Confederation) where either state can declare independence anytime they want with a referendum from the majority of those who live in them. I think the message was very loud and clear from the GC's in 2004 with an OXI on the same proposal. This time around, there wont even be an OXI if Talat pushes this as a settlement, because the talks will end in a deadlock, which will mean there will not be any referendums to vote on. Talat can spin this anyway he wants to be seen as the good guy while he tries to make the GC's to be the bad guys to the EU, but at the end of the day, the RoC will retain it's position in the EU and the UN, while the north receives scraps from the EU and a huge handout from Turkey, as well as a huge veto power over the head of Turkey for her EU dreams, held by the RoC. If Talat is not careful, it will be he, the TC's and Turkey will be the ones who will lose playing this deadly game of Russian Roulette. The GC's will just sit and wait until the next round of negotiation, sometimes in the future as they move forward economically and politically on the world's stage while the north remains in a "time capsule" from the past.

No Mr know it all there will be no other rounds, the world is sick of both sides rejectionist attitude, dont forget the GCs are walking on thin ice, they cannot afford another rejection nor backing out of the talks. Call it what you want but there will 2 states one north the other south under the name of a United Cyprus Republic, do I need to remind you that we have accepted a single international representation as long as we have an equal political balance as President Talat said this was the case in 1960 and will be the cae in any new agreement.

Your empty threats do not scare us one iota, we have no problems if either side backs out because if its seen as the GCs fault a gradual easing of isolation will occur and no refugees with get to return, the settlers will continue to arrive which after a few more years will no longer be reversable. If we back out then we continue to get closer to Turkey and return to our Turkish roots, if you have forgotten thats where your ancestors came from 400 odd years ago. I know you hate that fact but its true no point denying it, the GCs can then negotiate with Turkey just as they have always wanted.

[DT.]

Kikapu,

The buraucrats of the EU Commission will set him straight about who joins the EU and in what guise and that the rules are. They do it to Greece often, over things like rubbish tips, recognition of university degrees and other mundane but nevertheless important matters. They also have ways to enforce their decisions, painful things like fines and blocking of financing. Ouch!

But the question is Nikitas, is Talat expecting for the North to become a seperate EU member seperate from the RoC just by having a settlement with a BBF. Even at worse case scenario that the BBF is a Confederation as the AP was, how does Talat make the quantum leap in thinking, that the North will be entering the EU seperate from the RoC. The RoC is already in the EU as well as all her citizens, GC's and TC's alike. The only thing that's left to do, is to bring the North to the EU standards and it's done. It will be the RoC central government that will represent both the North and the South in the EU and the UN, and not each states representing themselves individually within the Federation, or have I gotten this wrong.?

Dont get you knickers in a twist the only thing on offer a BBf with political equality thats why they have been discussing how they will share power. he trying to emphasie that this deal is a partnership just as it was in 1960, but this time it will of 2 states. When you think it through if a 2 state solution is agree then one state would already be in and the other state will follow.

The RoC is the one who will represent both the states in the EU and the UN and not themselves individually. If that's not the case, then you are back to the old "Virgin Birth" concept as it was in the AP. You are not talking about a unified Cyprus, but a Two Separate Sovereign States under a loose Federation (Confederation) where either state can declare independence anytime they want with a referendum from the majority of those who live in them. I think the message was very loud and clear from the GC's in 2004 with an OXI on the same proposal. This time around, there wont even be an OXI if Talat pushes this as a settlement, because the talks will end in a deadlock, which will mean there will not be any referendums to vote on. Talat can spin this anyway he wants to be seen as the good guy while he tries to make the GC's to be the bad guys to the EU, but at the end of the day, the RoC will retain it's position in the EU and the UN, while the north receives scraps from the EU and a huge handout from Turkey, as well as a huge veto power over the head of Turkey for her EU dreams, held by the RoC. If Talat is not careful, it will be he, the TC's and Turkey will be the ones who will lose playing this deadly game of Russian Roulette. The GC's will just sit and wait until the next round of negotiation, sometimes in the future as they move forward economically and politically on the world's stage while the north remains in a "time capsule" from the past.

No Mr know it all there will be no other rounds, the world is sick of both sides rejectionist attitude, dont forget the GCs are walking on thin ice, they cannot afford another rejection nor backing out of the talks. Call it what you want but there will 2 states one north the other south under the name of a United Cyprus Republic, do I need to remind you that we have accepted a single international representation as long as we have an equal political balance as President Talat said this was the case in 1960 and will be the cae in any new agreement.

Your empty threats do not scare us one iota, we have no problems if either side backs out because if its seen as the GCs fault a gradual easing of isolation will occur and no refugees with get to return, the settlers will continue to arrive which after a few more years will no longer be reversable. If we back out then we continue to get closer to Turkey and return to our Turkish roots, if you have forgotten thats where your ancestors came from 400 odd years ago. I know you hate that fact but its true no point denying it, the GCs can then negotiate with Turkey just as they have always wanted.

When push comes to shove even VP will acknowledge that there has been a deliberate colonisation of the north by settlers.