TURKEY REMINDS OF THE FACT THAT CYPRUS PROBLEM CAN BE SOLVED THROUGH NEGOTIATIONS OF GOOD WILL
Turkey has underlined the need for the Greek Cypriot Side to come to realize the fact that the Cyprus problem can only be solved via negotiations which stand by the United Nations parametres.
“Lasting peace can only be achieved through mutual good will in Cyprus” Turkey emphasized.
Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Burak Özügergin made these statements while evaluating the possible effects of the joint declaration signed between Russia and the Greek Cypriot Administration on 19th November over the Cyprus negotiations process.
Explaining that the declaration ignores the parametres agreed between the two sides as part of the negotiations process, Özügergin said the declaration instead claims the necessity for resolving the Cyprus problem on the basis of 1977 and 1979 High Level Agreements and offers the unitary ‘Republic of Cyprus’ to be transformed into a bi-communal, bi-zonal federal state.
However neither High Level Agreements nor the UN Security Council resolutions refer to the transformation of the unitary Republic of Cyprus- which does not exist anymore, the spokesperson stressed.
He added that the declaration does not make any reference to the joint statement of Talat and Christofias on 23rd May which highlighted a federation to be established by two constituent states in case of a solution.
“Such an approach indicates that the Greek Cypriot Side tries to change the mutual agreement reached between the two sides on the international platform” he said.
Making a criticism of the Russian-Greek Cypriot declaration which includes references to the 1996 military and technical cooperation agreement between Russia and the Greek Cypriot side, Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman said the policy of armament, which caused discontent over Turkish Cypriots and led to serious crisis in the past, is incompatible with the Cyprus solution process.