The Turkish Cypriot side continues making statements that harm the Cyprus negotiations

 Turkish Cypriot daily Gunes (28.07.11) reports that the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu has accused the Greek Cypriot side of not complying with the principle of confidentiality in the intensified negotiations for reaching a solution to the Cyprus problem. In statements yesterday during one of his meetings, Eroglu argued that in spite of the agreement on the issue of carrying out the intensified negotiations in secrecy, the Greek Cypriot side did not comply with this decision after the very first meeting.

 Eroglu alleged the following: “Our proposals, our discussions were immediately published in the Greek Cypriot press. There could be no confidentiality in this manner. Either they will comply with the secrecy or after every meeting the need of having an interview with the press will be arising…

We complied with the principle of confidentiality and we will continue to do so. In any case, with the enthusiasm of the first day, the Greek Cypriots could not protect this confidentiality ?

I wish that they will comply with the rule of confidentiality [in the future]?” Meanwhile, Gunes (28.07.11) reports that Kudret Ozersay, special representative of the Turkish Cypriot leader, has also condemned the leak of the content of the intensified negotiations to the Greek Cypriot press.

In statements to illegal TAK news agency, Ozersay alleged that the target of the “leak operation” is the success of the talks. Ozersay argued that the “deliberately distorted manipulative news in the Greek Cypriot press” maintain the existing lack of trust “with which we are struggling”. Ozersay said that the Turkish Cypriot side has undertaken an initiative on this issue at the United Nations (UN). He claimed that this situation is an indication of irresponsibility and lack of good will. He argued: “I think that it will be seen more clearly why the map and the numbers under the chapter of the territory could not be negotiated now and in this environment, that is in an environment where everything is leaked to the Greek Cypriot press, and that this negotiation should be carried out at the last stage in another format?”

Ozersay alleged that this “insincerity” aims at supporting the “wrong perception” on the positions put forward by the Turkish Cypriot side and at sending the message that the Turkish Cypriots put excessive demands on the table. Ozersay claimed that “those who make these manipulations are probably aiming at changing the agenda” which annoy them in the government-controlled area of the Republic of Cyprus. “It is understood that they want the Greek Cypriot people to be wrongfully informed about us, but the developments during the past few weeks show that the Greek Cypriot people started seeing the realities”, he alleged. (I/Ts.)