Eroglu said that they could even change the name of the breakaway regime if there is no Cyprus settlement until June 2012

Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris (01.01.12) reports that the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu stated that their aim is a permanent solution to be found by June 2012 but added that if the position of the UN Secretary General is that a solution cannot be reached, then they will have to continue their road as regards amending the “constitution”, changing the internal regulations of the self-styled assembly and “filling the lacks on democracy.”

Eroglu made these statements in an exclusive interview to the production director of Kibris Media Group, Resat Akar, where he evaluated 2011 and referred to the aims of the Turkish Cypriot side for the year 2012.

Asked if there is a chance the occupation regime to be named “Turkish Cypriot state”, as it is referred at the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Eroglu stated that the name can be changed into “North Cyprus Turkish state”, or into “Turkish Cypriot state”, and added that the latter was both used at the OIC and at the Annan Plan.

Referring to the negotiations for the Cyprus problem, Eroglu said that the property and the territory issues were discussed and added that these are two different issues for which views and criteria were exchanged.

He went on and added that President Christofias asked for the return of Morfou, the Karpasia area and part of Mesaoria. According to Eroglu, Christofias asked for the return of 100 thousand persons. Regarding the remaining 75 thousand [Translator’s note: according to Eroglu’s estimation for the amount of refugees caused by the 1974 Turkish invasion], they will either have their property returned or they will be compensated for it. Eroglu also alleged that Christofias told him that if Morfou is not given back, there is no point to continue with the negotiations. Eroglu said that there was a deadlock in this issue between him and Christofias and that he told Christofias that the time has not come yet for a map to be discussed.

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