Cyprus-Forum.com

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DELEGATION OF EUROPEAN SOCIALISTS VISIT PRESIDENT AND PRIME MINISTER

Europe’s attention to the ongoing negotiations process in Cyprus is growing every passing day.

A delegation from the European Socialist Party is holding contacts in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus today.

The delegation headed by Luciano Vecchi paid separate visits to President Mehmet Ali Talat and Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer.

The delegation expressed its continued support to the ongoing efforts to reach a political settlement on the island.

As part of their contacts in North Cyprus, the delegation first visited President Mehmet Ali Talat.

The President’s Special representative for negotiations with the UN and EU, Ozdil Nami was also present at the meeting.

No statement was issued to the press before or after the meeting. The delegation then visited the CTP headquarters in central Lefkosa where they met with CTP leader-Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer and other party officials.

Speaking before his meeting with Prime Minister Soyer, Mr. Vecchi said that the aim of their visit to Cyprus was to assess the latest situation on the island as well as to express their political community’s support to the ongoing negotiations process.

He said that a reaching a comprehensive settlement to the Cyprus Problem was very important for both Europe and the European Socialists.

Pointing out that a window of opportunity had opened in Cyprus, Vecchi said that they believed that both leaders on the island possessed the necessary goodwill to find a just and proper solution in Cyprus, one that represented the different views and visions on the island.

“We are respecting the ongoing process and we shall continue to support the goodwill efforts of the two leaders” he said.

The CTP leader-Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer for his part said that were happy to receive the delegation and said that such visits contributed to the negotiations process aimed at finding a political settlement.

The delegation is visiting the island as guest of the Greek Cypriot EDEK Party.