Cyprus-Forum.com

[Kifeas]

TRNC President Talat: End to isolation the key

'The EU should end the TRNC's isolation to force the Greeks back to the negotiating table'

'The end of our isolation will mark the beginning of a solution to the whole problem'

President of TRNC Talat arrives in Ankara for his first state visit since taking office in April. Talat's visit is aim to end the speculations of 'frosty relations' with his Turkish counterpart. Sezer is expected to greet Talat today with an official ceremony at the Presidential Palace

The TRNC president speaks in an exclusive interview with The New Anatolian prior to his historic visit to Ankara. Underlining that signing the Ankara Protocol demanded certain things of Turkey, Talat says, 'Turkish harbors should only be opened to the Greeks in response to the removal of the embargo against the TRNC'

Talat calls on the EU to press the Greek Cypriots to end its embargo against the Turkish Cypriots. 'If the Turkish Cypriots were no longer isolated, the Greek side would accept the Annan plan, or even less'

In an exclusive interview with The New Anatolian, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Mehmet Ali Talat discussed the latest developments in the Cyprus problem and his relations with Turkish officials before leaving for Ankara for his first state visit. Talat spoke with TNA Editor in Chief Mete Belovacikli on a wide variety of issues such as the repercussions of Turkey's signing the Ankara Protocol, the proposal to return the Maras region of the island to the Greek Cypriots for the ending of the Turkish Cypriots' isolation, and his personal relations with top officials in Ankara. President Talat's thoughts on these particular issues related to the Cyprus problem and TRNC-Turkish relations are as follows:

* The Ankara Protocol makes demands on Turkey - Turkey committed itself to certain conditions when it signed the Ankara Protocol. Turkey is feeling great pressure to open its harbors and airports to Greek Cypriot use. But Turkey has stood fast in its position against this from the very beginning. The European Union earlier declared that Turkish Cypriot harbors and airports should be used. But the Greek Cypriots blocked this decision. On the one hand, the EU declared that Turkish Cypriot harbors and airports should be opened. On the other hand, it said that these harbors and airports could not be opened to use due to the Greek blockade. So, Turkey will block the use of its harbors and airports by the Greek Cypriots. The upshot is, if Turkey opens its harbors for the use of Greek Cypriots, our own harbors should also be opened to international use. It's a political decision.

* We have very good relations with Ankara - The results of the presidential elections in the TRNC were very conclusive and clear. After many hotly contested elections, the people of the TRNC chose their president in the first round of this election. Even former President Rauf Denktas was elected in the second round in the last two presidential elections. Nobody could object to these results. Turkey will not object. Turkey has been the TRNC's greatest support over the decades. From this perspective, even if the ideas of the people holding various offices in a country are different from ours, they won't act differently from their state's tradition.

* Ending the isolation - There's no deadline for the end to our isolation. We know that it's a very long process. The Cyprus problem should have been solved before the Greek side was accepted as a full member of the EU under the name of 'Republic of Cyprus.' The leaders should have understood this. Even at the EU's 2002 summit in Copenhagen, it was obvious that the Greek side would enter the EU without any solution to the Cyprus problem. Everybody should have been aware that the problem should have been solved before its membership. We opposed the move then, and we were advocating a solution. We kept saying that 'a solution can only be found at the Copenhagen summit. After that, it will be hopeless…'

* The Annan plan - The Greek Cypriots will naturally try to eliminate the Annan plan. They put forward something under the name of, 'A solution related to Europe.' But they didn't offer anything concrete. We understand from their statements that they want to change from the federal system to a unitary state, to change equality of communities to equality of citizens, and they expect that everyone would get back their own property. The Greek side will approach the solution in relation to whether or not the isolation against the Turkish Cypriots is in danger of ending. If the Turkish Cypriots were no longer under isolation, the Greek side would accept the Annan plan, or even less than it. The important thing is that the Greek side would see that it could no longer isolate the Turkish Cypriots by using its power as the 'Republic of Cyprus.' And the realization of this is related to the world's intervention. Taking all these factors into consideration, I will be ready to negotiate -- it's my idea -- all the reasons and proposals coming from the Greek Cypriot side.

The Greek Cypriot veto threat -- I prefer to use 'international community' rather than 'European Union' when I ask for an end to the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots. Because, it's the United Nations that took all the power in its hands on this issue. But I don't think that the EU has considered any remedy to this situation. From this point of view, the EU could say that the 'reunification of Cyprus is crucial for us.' We established the EU to unite all European nations. Then we accepted a divided country as a full member. And the leadership of this split country wishes to prolong this separation. How long can it be managed? So, the EU should press upon the Greek Cypriot leadership. The main idea expressed by EU laws and regulations is a united Europe and an end to all divisions. The EU should not tolerate a leader of one of its countries indefinitely harboring an attitude which is against these ideas.

* Giving the Maras region back to the Greek Cypriots - The proposed return of the Maras region to the Greek Cypriots is not a new development. It goes back to my time as the prime minister. It developed out of a brainstorm that began when we were told how we could obtain financial aid and opportunities for direct trade from then EU Term President Luxembourg. While these discussions were happening, I suggested to the term presidency that there was an easy way to fix things. I proposed to give back the Maras region to the Greek Cypriots and asked in exchange for an end of all embargoes against the Turkish Cypriot side. All the terms of the negotiations were also made available to Ankara. But it was only brainstorming. In the end, we didn't give back Maras to the Greeks or get the removal of the embargo. We weren't able to establish agreement from all parties on these issues. Then, the Brussels negotiations started and we again made this proposition during the meetings. The Greek side immediately said 'no' to our proposition. The meeting ended without any decision. But this point is very clear: In exchange for returning Maras, we want the opening of our airports and harbors, and an end to the cultural embargo. It means the end to our isolation. I'm surprised when I see people criticizing this proposal without understanding its importance. Because the meaning of our proposal is to achieve the last phase before full recognition in exchange for Maras. Essentially everything except for recognition. The Greek Cypriot side already saw this and immediately rejected the proposal. They even refuse to talk about it.

* Russia should reconsider its attitude - It's inconceivable that Russia is not aware what is going on here. But for many reasons, Russians prefer to stand beside the Greeks. The first reason is of course the traditional cultural and religious ties. The second reason they have economic ties and interests. And also, Turkey is a big power. And it is seen by the Russians as a power standing in support of the U.S. So, Turkey and Russia enter into a natural competition. But if Russia could take a positive stand towards a solution to the Cyprus problem, and really wish to find a solution, there would definitely be progress. I personally do have hope when it comes to Russia. In the end, it's unlikely that a huge country like Russia could be slave to a country with only 700,000 people. Russia is a country that can almost independently determine where its interests lie.

The New Anatolian
http://www.turkishweekly.net/news.php?id=17070

[demetriou_74]

if TRNC can live like a normaly country without embargos or sanctions what is their insentive to negotiate. They will just hang on another 20 years until they have developed and exaughsted the country's tourist potentials. A solution must be found but practically giving them 'normal' rights as a country will kill off all negotiations.

TRNC negotiates so they can keep up with the world until a solution is found. give them everything they need and negotiating will be useless.

[Main_Source]

They keep on pushing for ridiculous demands from RoC, in order to sell out the GC people. If RoC say no, they accuse us of not wanting a settlement.

I dont understand why nobody brings up the talks held in Brussels...what Papadopolous offered was fair...but all Talat wanted was semi-recognition.

[Bananiot]

Talat hits back at "smear drive"
By Simon Bahceli

TURKISH Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat yesterday accused the Cypriot government of using smear tactics to “discredit and humiliate” him and accused the government of mounting a co-ordinated campaign to brand him as a separatist seeking international recognition for the north.

“In all possible ways they are working to discredit me. The government is doing it, the party leaders are doing it, and they manipulate the media to do it as well,” Talat told the Cyprus Mail yesterday.

Talat’s counterattack came in the wake of comments by Foreign Minister George Iacovou claiming that Talat’s “mask [was] slipping” and that his “intention of seeking international recognition of the north” was becoming apparent to both Cypriots and the international community.

Iacovou had said the previous day that Talat’s persistent efforts to establish direct trading links with the EU and secure direct flights to airports in the north was simply a way of furthering his long-term aim of gaining international recognition of the breakaway state he leads.

“Do they have any indication that this is the case? They only say these things because they believe that by creating such a notorious image [of me] they will gain. I am not a secessionist… [and]…from the beginning of my political life I have supported reunification,” Talat said.

He added that if countries or economic blocs traded with the north it in no way implied recognition of a separate state and again denied the north was seeking such a status.

“We are trying to ease the lives of our people until a solution. That is all,” Talat insisted.

“Recognition is a unilateral declaration by a state that it recognises another. Without a declaration of recognition there is no recognition,” he added.

Talat accused the Cyprus government of resorting to “insults” when it described him as a “Turkish puppet” and as someone who did “not even have the power to open crossing points [in the UN-controlled buffer zone]”.

He also hit out at President Tassos Papadopoulos by saying, “He says I do not have the authority to discuss guarantee and alliance agreements alone [without Turkey]. I argue that it is the same for him [with regard to Greece].”

Talat insisted Turkey in no way inhibited his authority to negotiate with the Cypriot government on matters of substance and concluded, “If he [Papadopoulos] wants an agreement, it must be with the Turkish Cypriots, and not Turkey. Turkey is a guarantor and will deal only with issue relating to that. The rest will be negotiated between the two communities.”

He did. However. claim to have the full support of Turkey in his role as chief negotiator for the Turkish Cypriot side.

“Of course we discuss and form common policies, and of course Turkey can influence me as the only country that supports me. I don’t deny this. But if any Greek Cypriot thinks he can circumvent me and negotiate directly with Turkey, they are wrong. Turkey will never negotiate with them.”

Reacting to accusations from the Cypriot government that he and Turkey were stalling over the opening of new crossing points in the Green Line Talat said: “We have done everything possible to see these crossings open while the Greek Cypriots did nothing.

They say the Turkish military is against opening the Ledra Street crossing. This is simply not true. Nobody is against more crossing points.”

Talat also countered Iacovou’s claim that EU officials were aware of Talat’s “true aims” by saying that internationally his intentions were well known and that foreign leaders knew him as someone “entrenched in the vision of a solution” to the Cyprus problem.

He also believed the EU would show understanding over Turkey’s likely refusal to allow Greek Cypriot shipping and aircraft to use Turkish ports, despite Turkey’s recent signing of an EU customs union agreement with Cyprus, and despite the danger that such a refusal could lead to delays in Turkey’s EU accession process.

“Turkey will open its ports to Greek Cypriots if they allow us to open ours,” he said, adding: “A delay [in Turkey’s accession process] is possible, but we will be able to explain [our reasoning]. They [the EU] understand us quite well and they know we are right.”

Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2005

[Main_Source]

TURKISH Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat yesterday accused the Cypriot government of using smear tactics to “discredit and humiliate” him and accused the government of mounting a co-ordinated campaign to brand him as a separatist seeking international recognition for the north.

hahahaha...talk about hypocrite!

how often has he blabbed to the media to discredit the RoC and Papadopoulos.

I been saying for a while that Talat simply wants recognition. Actions speak louder than words, remember.

[Bananiot]

Papadopoulos does not need Talat to discredit him. He manages quite admirably by himself.

[Murtaza]

Main what are you waiting?

Of course, He will work for recognision, and ending isolation.

[Main_Source]

Papadopoulos does not need Talat to discredit him. He manages quite admirably by himself.

much like yourself.