Cyprus-Forum.com

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WE AS THE TURKISH SIDE SUPPORT THE UN’S ACTIVE ROLE DURING CYPRUS NEGOATIONS PROCESS.


UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon’s support to the Cyprus negotiations process is very important. That was the message given by Presidential spokesman Hasan Ercakica today during his weekly press conference.

He said as the Turkish side we fully support the active role of the United Nations during the process.

Hasan Ercakica gave his weekly press briefing at the TRNC Presidential Palace this morning and informed the press about the development on the Cyprus negotiations process.

He announced that during tomorrow’s meeting between Mehmet Ali Talat and the leader of Dimitris Christofias the first phase of the Cyprus negotiations process is expected to be concluded.

During tomorrow’s meeting the exact methodology and the program of the negotiations process that will be followed during the second round of talks is hoped to be decided on also, said Ercakica.

Explaining that the Turkish Cypriots side will be taking full advantage of the break that is to be given to the talks between the 6th of August and the 3rd of September, the Presidential spokesman said that they will be informing the political parties at the TRNC Parliament and officials of the Republic of Turkey of the developments and exchange views regarding the process.

Meanwhile referring to the works being carried out at the Yesilirmak crossing point, Hasan Ercakica said tomorrow an exercise will be carried out regarding the emergency crossings of ambulances.

‘An ambulance from the TRNC and one from the ROC will be crossing over tomorrow’, said Ercakica and added that ‘in the meantime the UN has been conducting the necessary research for the construction of the road that will be built in the area’.

He also announced that a sub committee is meeting today to discuss the prevention of the television and radio frequency problems that are being experienced between the North and the South of the island.

Answering journalists’ questions at the end of the briefing, the Presidential spokesman said that a date hadn’t yet been made as to when President Talat and the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon will meet but he did confirm that President Talat and Dimitris Christofias may be meeting with the UN Secretary General in New York or at another location.

Reiterating that the Turkish side gave great importance to the United Nations active role during the Cyprus negotiations process, Mr. Ercakica said ‘the UN’s support to the second phase of the Cyprus talks that will begin on the 3rd of September is very important for the continuation of the Cyprus negotiations process.

Upon being reminded of the remarks made by the US Ambassador to Cyprus Frank Urbancic Mr. Ercakica said the Presidency too had found these statements worrying that why it had requested the original statement made by the US Ambassador so they could further evaluate the remarks

Ercakica added that at the end of this evaluation it had become clear that the US Ambassador had not used such an expression directly.

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UN IS READY TO TAKE ON A MORE ACTIVE ROLE DURING CYPRUS NEGOATIONS PROCESS

The UN Secretary General’s Special Advisor Alexander Downer has said he would like to see the UN Secretary General in Cyprus as soon as possible.

The UN Envoy also said that the UN was ready to take on a more active role in the ongoing talks if the two leaders wanted.

The UN Special Advisor’s words came during a visit to the Mayor of Turkish Part of the Nicosia Cemal Bulutoglulari this morning.

Speaking during the visit, the UN Special Advisor Alexander Downer said that the aim of the visit was to hear about the issues of the city and to talk about the ongoing Cyprus negotiations process.

Expressing the view that local governments play an important role in the overall general political process, Downer said that it was his duty to hold contacts with significant figures on both sides of the island.

Responding to a question as to whether or not the UN Secretary General Ban-Ki-Moon was planning a visit to Cyprus later this year, the UN Special Envoy said that there was no exact time set for a visit by the Secretary General but that he would like to see him come before too long.

Asked if the UN was prepared to take on a more active role in the negotiations in the second phase of the talks, Downer said that the UN was ready to support the process to the extent the leaders wanted.

He said that the UN had given a good deal of support to the process and would be ready to extend that in the coming phases of the talks.

For his part, the Mayor of North Nicosia Cemal Bulutoglulari said he was pleased to receive the UN Special Advisor.

Briefing Downer on the history of the Nicosia Turkish Municipality, Mayor Bulutoglulari pointed out that the Nicosia Municipality was founded on the basis of the 1960 constitution of the former Republic of Cyprus.

Explaining that a large number of joint projects were being carried out with the Greek Cypriot Municipality from the South Nicosia, Bulutoglulari said he was pleased to work with Greek Cypriot Mayor Eleni Mavru.

“I hope this cooperation will be extended in the future” he added.

Touching upon the Cyprus Problem, Mayor Bulutoglulari said that President Mehmet Ali Talat was doing his best for a settlement but that his task was not easy.

“The Cyprus Problem has been carrying on for more than 40 years. I hope that the two leaders will solve the Cyprus Problem this year. We are supporting their efforts” he said.

Bulutoglulari also said that a settlement would have a positive impact on the economy.

He complained that the people of the TRNC were feeling a double fold impact of the global financial crisis because of the embargoes.

The North Nicosia Mayor also said that he and his Greek Cypriot counterpart Eleni Mavru were ready to do all they could for a solution in Cyprus.