Talat says Eroglu pulled back from an agreement achieved at the Cyprus talks on the population census;

He attacks political parties which visited Brussels to be informed on Cyprus’ EU term presidencyTurkish Cypriot daily Kibris (09.12.11) reports that the former Turkish Cypriot leader, Mehmet Ali Talat has said he also had discussed the population census with President Christofias during the Cyprus talks. According to a statement issued by his office, Talat talking yesterday to a private television said that the Greek Cypriot side asked for the population census to be held simultaneously under UN observation. The Turkish Cypriot side, added Talat, suggested a population census to be held a couple of months before the referendum under UN observation and this suggestion satisfied the Greek Cypriot side.

Talat went on and said: “This was the essence of the population census within the framework of the negotiations. However, Eroglu said ‘I am a state, I will do the counting’. This could be done any time. There was no need of doing it by discussing with Christofias. Why this census was conducted? Will he believe you? Even if you catch birds with your mouth, Christofias will not believe you. Even if there were 777 and not seven UN officials, he would not believe you. Then, why this census is conducted? Is it possible to have a result while citizenship is continuously distributed, especially with Eroglu’s mentality, until a solution is reached? You can double the population within 3-5 months. The census has no meaning for the negotiations?”

Talat argued that it is important to know the population, but the population of the “TRNC”, as he described the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus, is known. He claimed that the so-called state planning organization could announce the population every day. “Registers exist. Those who enter and exit, those who are born or die are known”, he said adding that the so-called state could take this information and the next day could give you the number of the population. “Moreover, the illegal persons, who are said to be hidden in the fields and in the houses, are also known. Those who have not been found with the census will be found from the computer registers. The population is known in any case. Furthermore, how could such a primitive census could be conducted? They should be thankful for the fact that people did not say ‘I will not be closed in the house’ and did not pour into the streets. It was a meaningless, engage in futile, absolutely useless and unnecessary census. Some persons are satisfied, but I have not understood who. The UN being satisfied is out of the question?”

Talat argued that both sides are unwilling on the issue of reaching a solution to the Cyprus problem. He added: “Perhaps Eroglu thinks that with the declaration that no solution will be reached, the TRNC will enter into the way for recognition! As a result both sides are unwilling. Who will make the solution? Will it be the aliens?”

Talat said that he does not see that a solution to the Cyprus problem is possible soon.

Meanwhile, publishing the same statements, Turkish Cypriot daily Haberdar (09.12.11) reports that Talat, referring to some Turkish Cypriot leftwing parties, said that “circles of the left mortify the Turkish Cypriot honour and identity, by accepting the Greek Cypriot administration”, as he described the government of the Republic of Cyprus. “The Turkish Cypriots show a tendency of taking the easy way out when things get difficult. I can understand the people, but I cannot understand the parties. The citizens go and take identity cards, passports, educate their child etc. Yes, I can understand this, but not the parties”.

Talat criticized the parties for sending their representatives to Brussels to be briefed for the preparations of the Republic of Cyprus’ EU term presidency in the second half of 2012. He argued that some political parties went there just for touring.

He added: “How many times had the parties visited Brussels and they will go again. However, I could really not understand what was the meaning of participating in a tour prepared by Kaminara [Translator’s not: The EU representative in Cyprus Androulla Kaminara] and in a delegation almost headed by [Kaminara]. And I cannot know where we are heading to”.

Under the title “Talat made the parties angry”, Haberdar reports that the leftwing parties, except for the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), strongly reacted to Talat’s statements.

The chairman of the Social Democracy Party (TDP), Mehmet Cakici wondered whether the protection of the Turkish Cypriot identity is left to Talat and the National Unity Party (UBP). Cakici recalled that these leftwing parties had supported Talat during the “elections” and added that Talat and the CTP have not demanded the rights which the Turkish Cypriots gained in 1960 in the Republic of Cyprus. “That is why the Turkish Cypriots remained under isolation”, he said and added that the Turkish Cypriots have not become member of the Cyprus Football Association because of CTP’s strategy. “We remained isolated both in trade and politics and in football”, he noted.

The secretary of New Cyprus Party’s (YKP) executive council, Murat Kanatli said he was not surprised by Talat’s statement because he had the same stance in 2004 when the Republic of Cyprus joined the EU and the BKP was the only Turkish Cypriot party which celebrated the event.

The chairman of the United Cyprus Party (BKP), Izzet Izcan expressed his sorrow for Talat’s statements and noted that the aim of this visit was to get to know the EU institutions better and added that if the Turkish Cypriots became minority in occupied Cyprus and are facing the danger of annihilation, this is because of the wrong policies followed by the CTP and Talat when they were in “power”.