According to illegal Bayrak television (online, 26.03.11), Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, speaking during a public gathering in the occupied town of Famagusta, stressed that “citizens of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus will not be turned into a bargaining issue on the negotiations table”, adding that “TRNC citizens should not to be worried about the issue of citizenship that is currently being negotiated at the Cyprus talks”.
“We are protecting the Turkish Cypriots’ rights to the utmost, and we want all of our citizens to be given citizenship in the partnership that will be established in case of a settlement” Eroglu said.

Underlining the need for preparing the public for a lasting settlement by bearing in mind the realities, Eroglu said this will happen when a sustainable solution is to be reached.

“The Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias says that he made a concession when he agreed on the establishment of a federation. If this is the case, then we have made a concession too. Because we also do have our own state”, he went on saying.

Eroglu, however, noted that affirming to a bi-communal and bi-zonal federation is not enough to resolve the Cyprus problem.

Commenting on the property issue, Eroglu described the Greek Cypriot offer on giving the former property owner the right to have the final say, as a non-realistic approach.

Recalling that the European Court of Human Rights too does not perceive this as a correct stance, Eroglu stressed that the emotional bond between the current owner of the property and the property itself should not be ignored while making a decision.

Eroglu reiterated that the Turkish Cypriot side had proposed exchange, restitution and a limited return to be the methods for resolving property matters, adding “we want the minimum in the relocation of people”.