Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris (24.10.11) reports that Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, commenting on domestic and foreign issues during a television programme on illegal Bayrak TV, claimed that the Greek Cypriot side insists that all 165.000 Greek Cypriot refugees must return to their homes and added that if this happened, then no room would be left for Turkish Cypriots.

Replying to President Christofias’ statement, “let all the settlers return to Turkey”, Eroglu said that “the TRNC [translator’s note: the breakaway regime in the north part of the Republic of Cyprus] is a state and has the right to make decisions. No state can throw its citizens out on the street”.

Noting that no statement was issued after Friday’s Cyprus National Council talks ahead of the meeting in New York, Eroglu claimed that President Christofias is going to New York without having the courage to sign an agreement.

Noting that “under no circumstances will the Turkish Cypriot side say yes to every demand of the Greek Cypriot side”, Eroglu claimed that the Turkish Cypriot side has taken important steps in six chapters discussed during the negotiations.

Noting that the New York meeting is an important juncture and carries huge importance for the future, Eroglu added that for this reason, he and his team have been working continuously.

Commenting on Cyprus drilling activities for oil and natural gas, Eroglu reiterated that he had asked President Christofias to postpone these activities so that no problems are created in the negotiating process. However, he added, President Christofias did not accept it.

Eroglu also explained that the self-styled government was informed, before the signing of the “continental shelf delimitation agreement” between Turkey and the breakaway regime. He argued that it is a very important “agreement” and called on the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) and the Social Democracy Party (TDP) to revise their decisions, because, he claimed that the message that they would give to the world is very important.