Statements by Davutoglu on the Cyprus problem

Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris (04.09.11) reported that Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, speaking to Turkish state-run television TRT Haber during a gathering of European Foreign Ministers in Poland, said that everybody should be engaged as soon as possible for a Cyprus settlement and stressed the importance to reach a solution by 31 June 2012.

Davutoglu, who was in Sopot, Poland to attend an unofficial meeting of EU Foreign Ministers, replied to questions of TRT Haber about the latest developments on Turkey’s agenda.

Commenting on Turkey-EU relations, Davutoglu said: “In the course of history, every country will be able to plan its future when its stands in the right position. This right position for the EU is Turkey’s integration to the EU.” He also said that EU perceived Turkey’s strategic importance with each passing day.

Noting that the EU is a victim of the mechanism set up by itself, Davutoglu said that the most important example is the Cyprus problem.

Noting that the announcement on the Cyprus problem has been appreciated by the interlocutors, Davutoglu said that the message he gave in the announcement is very clear. He went on by saying that here at this moment, everybody should step in order to solve the Cyprus problem and the message that was given is a solution by the 31 June 2012.

In addition, Turkish daily Hurriyet newspaper (05.09.11) reports that Davutoglu, speaking to Turkish journalists, stated that in the framework of the gathering of the European Foreign Ministers in Poland, he shook hands with Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus.

According to Davutoglu, Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis went to him and stated: “This is the first time I will shake your hands. We will meet more often (from now on)”. Commenting on this, Davutoglu replied to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus that the Turkish side is always willing to have a four-party meeting. “‘If you want we can meet; but it is not possible to have a separate meeting with you’, I told her”, he said to the journalists. He went on and added that he told Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis that they support the two sites in Cyprus to be locked-up in a place for the negotiations. “That is because in the island’s political environment it is not possible for Christofias to a accept anything”, he stated.