Eroglu: “We have also made a concession by accepting federation”; Yeni Duzen: Eroglu has forgotten who made the proposal for a federation

Turkish Cypriot daily Gunes (01.07.11) reports that the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu alleged that the Turkish Cypriot side had also made a concession in the Cyprus problem by accepting the proposal for a federation in Cyprus.

Addressing the opening ceremony of occupied Trikomo Festival the night before yesterday, Eroglu commented on the Greek Cypriot side’s position that it had made a concession by accepting the proposal for a federation in Cyprus and claimed: “While the TRNC reality exists, we also have made a concession by accepting the federation. I believe that now we could reach somewhere with a mutual give and take at the negotiating table for an agreement, because the Turkish Cypriot people have rights for centuries on these lands”.

Referring to the Geneva summit, Eroglu said: “We are thinking of departing from Geneva with views and decisions with which we will be able to see our future. We want to learn from the Secretary-General what will happen in case an agreement is not found”.

Eroglu said that they will not give to the Greek Cypriot side the opportunity it waits in Geneva and added that the agreement in Cyprus will be viable if lessons are taken from the pre-1974 period and if the current realities are not ignored. He alleged that they want a lasting agreement and not an agreement which will last only for three years, like it happened in 1960.

Alleging that the Greek Cypriots have rejected all the proposals for an agreement that were tabled during the past 48 years, Eroglu said that “the patience of the Turkish Cypriot people has ran out” and reiterated the demand for a timetable and intensification of the process. “As long as a time limit is not set, it is not possible for the Greek Cypriots to be motivated for an agreement”, he alleged.

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen (01.07.11) refers to Eroglu’s statements under the title: “‘We also made a concession by accepting the federation'”. The paper notes that Eroglu has forgotten who made the proposal for a federation in Cyprus and implies that this proposal was made by the Turkish Cypriot side.