Davutoglu and Eroglu comment on the New York meetingTurkish Cypriot daily Kibris (04.11.11) reports that the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu and his delegation have returned to the occupied area of Cyprus. Prior to his arrival, Eroglu stopped in Istanbul and met with Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu at Ciragan Palace. After the meeting they made statements, evaluating the negotiations held at Greentree, New York, with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon and President Demetris Christofias.

Eroglu said that he informed Davutoglu about the meeting, since from time to time they have consultations on their proposals with the Turkish Foreign Ministry. He also expressed his happiness for the words “end game” that the UNSG used, saying that they have been advocating for a timetable since the Geneva meeting. He said that in the Greentree meeting they proposed again that an end in the negotiations should be put forward. He said, inter alia: “We think to put an end during a four or five party summit, after our next meeting in January. Whether it will be possible or not, it will become obvious through the negotiations we will hold until then and the meeting we will have again in January.”

Davutoglu for his part said that they exchanged ideas regarding the New York meeting and alleged that negotiations for the solution of the Cyprus problem have reached a final stage. “First of all, the fact that the Secretary-General called again the two sides in January is a hopeful development. He identified this as ‘end game.’ We, Turkey and TRNC, have already signalled that the negotiations entered a final stage… and we have been thinking to end this final stage with comprehensive negotiations, a conference with broad participation. We insisted on this, alleged, inter alia, Davutoglu.

[02] Serdar Denktas stated that the January summit should be the last as regards the Cyprus problem

Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris (04.11.11) reports that Serdar Denktas, the chairman of the Democratic Party (DP) has evaluated the New York summit held between the President of the Republic of Cyprus Demetris Christofias and the Turkish Cypriot leader, Dervis Eroglu and stated that the summit which will be held in January should be the last as regards the Cyprus problem.

“Nobody has the right to condemn the Turkish Cypriots for years of uncertainty”, he stated yesterday.

Denktas, who issued a written statement, said that if the January summit is the last one, then the two sides will be forced to put on the negotiation table their final positions, allowing the UN Secretary-General to evaluate the situation and call for an international conference.

Denktas stated that he was not informed yet by Dervis Eroglu about the New York summit and he expects to have a meeting with him after the latter returns from New York.

He expressed his support towards the Turkish Cypriot negotiation team and especially Kudret Ozersay.

Referring to the cross voting issue, he stated that this was a result of the wrong policy of Mehmet Ali Talat and added that the issue created problems to the Turkish Cypriots.

[03] Turkish Cypriot academicians assess the New York summit

Turkish daily Zaman (online, 03.11.11) reports that Mehmet Hasguler, lecturer at illegal Lefka European University (“LAU”), and Murat Tuzunkan, lecturer at illegal International Cyprus University (“UKU”), evaluated in statement to the Ankara Anatolia news agency, the results from the New York summit.

Prof. Hasguler described the fifth summit in January and the multi party conference that could come on the agenda, as “acceptance of Turkey and TRNC’s (translator’s note: the breakaway regime in the occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus) position, for the last three years, to have a timetable in the negotiations”.

Claiming that the January summit will show which way the Cyprus problem will follow, Hasturer evaluated the summit in January as “the last tango summit”.

Hasturer argued that the negotiation team of the Turkish Cypriot side with Turkey’s coordination, makes continuously proposals and “North Cyprus [translator’s note: the breakaway regime in the occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus] will have more advantages than South Cyprus [translator’s note: the government-controlled areas of the Republic of Cyprus] in January 2012”.

Hasturer supported Eroglu’s view that they are “in favour of a solution” but they also have an option. He quoted Eroglu’s statement that: “If there is a solution, we want it. If there is not, we have our state [translator’s note: the breakaway regime in the occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus], we will continue our path with this way.”

Hasturer also claimed that this time the future of the Turkish Cypriots will not be as uncertain as it was during the Annan plan. He argued that “the Turkish Cypriots will not be the one, who always lose the game and roads will be opened for them inside the international community”.

Prof. Tuzunkan said that he expects a second referendum in Cyprus before Cyprus takes over the EU presidency, alleging that “according to the result of this referendum either there would be an agreement on the island or Cyprus will be divided permanently”.

Tuzunkan also said that the negotiations in New York have showed that the efforts for a Cyprus settlement approach to their end and that the negotiations will result in the way the Turkish Cypriot side wants.