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TALAT DENIES CLAIMS THAT HIS TETE-A-TETE MEETING WAS ‘OFF THE RECORD’

President Mehmet Ali Talat has denied claims that his Tête-à-tête meeting with Greek Cypriot leader Dimitris Christofias during talks last Wednesday was ‘off the record’.

Talat said that all that relevant authorities and institutions in the TRNC assessing the talks are notified about the details of my discussions.

Speaking to reporters at the end of an event last night, the President said that many debates had emerged between the last two meetings, mainly as a result of a misinterpretation and misunderstanding of Presidential Spokesman Hasan Ercakica’s words during a TV program.

Explaining that one of the debates that emerged was on Christofias addressing him as comrade, President Talat said that he and his Greek Cypriot counterpart had discussed in detail the claims and speculations that emerged.

Talat also said that he was not the first leader to hold such a meeting.
“I’m not the first person to hold a Tête-à-tête meeting. This is a common practice anywhere in the world. As a President and as negotiator, there is nothing more natural than this” he said.

Responding to a question as to whether the private meeting contributed to the negotiations process, the President said that such meetings did have a positive impact on the talks.

“Such meetings are useful in clarifying or getting rid of claims. You discuss anything that may have offended you or upset you with our counterpart and settle any existing problems or misunderstandings that may exist, he added.

Asked to comment on Turkey’s non-permanent membership to the UN Security Council, Talat said that the Greek Cypriot Side should be happy with Turkey’s membership.

He said the Turkey’s membership proved that Ankara had no intentions of achieving a settlement in Cyprus that was contrary and in violation of UN parameters, which the Greek Cypriot Administration frequently accused it of doing.