Cyprus-Forum.com

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NEGOTIATIONS seeking the reunification of Cyprus will resume “from where they left off”, newly elected Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu said yesterday at his swearing-in ceremony.

“We have written to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and informed him of our readiness to resume negotiations from where they left off,” he told dignitaries and media at the ‘presidential palace’ in north Nicosia.

Eroglu, known as a staunch supporter of Turkish Cypriot independence, replaces moderate Mehmet Ali Talat after beating him in ‘presidential’ elections on Sunday by winning just over 50 per cent of the vote.

Despite his apparent willingness to engage President Demetris Christofias in negotiations, many in the international community and in Ankara worry that his pro-‘TRNC’ stance will make progress in talks which started 18 months ago, even harder. In his election campaign, he vowed to preserve the ‘TRNC’, and said that if talks failed he would seek recognition of the breakaway state.

Yesterday, however, under the watchful eye of the Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Eroglu said he would negotiate for a settlement in good faith. Davutoglu has won praise internationally for espousing a “zero conflict” policy with Turkey’s numerous neighbours. He is unequivocal in his belief that negotiations must continue.

“I will negotiate bravely for a fair solution. I am not here to block a solution,” Eroglu insisted yesterday. He added, however, he would settle only for a solution that gave Turkish Cypriots “equal sovereignty” with Greek Cypriots. He also spoke of his plans to form a national council that would act as “a mouthpiece for the Turkish Cypriot people’s will”.

Outgoing Turkish Cypriot leader Talat also spoke at the ceremony, telling Eroglu’s supporters he would “follow and encourage Eroglu on the road towards a settlement, peace and integration with the EU and the international community”.

Speaking of his administration of the past five years, he described how “massive public support among Turkish Cypriots in the Annan plan referendum” had “opened a new road for the Turkish Cypriots”.

“It raised our profile abroad and broke prejudices against our position,” he said. Regarding the peace talks he headed on behalf of the Turkish Cypriots, he said, “We made the greatest progress toward a solution in half a century”. He also reminded the audience that during his administration “not a single UN report was critical of our position”.

“If there is no solution, the world knows it is not because of the Turkish Cypriots,” he added.

Talat also used his speech to responded to Eroglu’s earlier accusations that he had “mourned” the formation of the TRNC in 1983 by saying, “I cried because of the damage it would do to the Turkish Cypriot people”. This damage, he said, had been manifested in an image abroad of an intransigent Turkish Cypriot side, trade and sports embargoes, and ultimately in the “one-side” Greek Cypriot entry into the EU.

Talat also hit out at what he described as “shameful accusations” from Eroglu and media outlets that support him that he and his administration had “looted” property from the presidential offices as they were leaving.

“Nothing but our personal property has been taken from these offices. It is hard to understand this animosity. This is the biggest insult I have received in my life,” he said.

As if to stress the fact that he was leaving with nothing, Talat departed inauspiciously in his twin cabin Isuzu, a car he drove to his first position as ‘minister of education’ in 1995.

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus/eroglu-i-m-not-here-block-solution/20100424

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