Statements by President Christofias to Turkish Cypriot journalists
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (17.07.12) reports that in statements to some Turkish Cypriot journalists, President Christofias said yesterday that the defeat of former Turkish Cypriot leader Talat in the so-called elections derived from the change of policy of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), which he accused of being responsible for the result of the “elections”.
Under the banner front-page title “Responsible is the CTP”, the paper writes that President Christofias told the Turkish Cypriot journalists that during the presidency of late Ozker Ozgur, the CTP implemented leftist policies and when it was necessary, the party came face to face with Turkey. When Mehmet Talat was elected to the presidency of the CTP, the party implemented different policies and today it is implementing different policies, President Christofias reportedly said adding that sometimes he wonders whether these people are his comrades.
The paper writes that President Christofias said that the basis of the solution is known and that this is the UN Security Council Resolution 1251 providing for a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political equality, a single citizenship, a single sovereignty and a single international identity. The President of the Republic noted that the Greek Cypriot side wanted the continuation of the negotiations, but the Turkish Cypriot leader said that no negotiations could be held until the end of the Republic of Cyprus’ EU term presidency. Pointing out that the Greek Cypriot side does not want to be officially declared that the negotiations ended, he added that “for this reason we accepted the discussion of confidence building measures at the technical committees”.
The President of the Republic condemned the illegal transfer of population from Turkey to the occupied area of Cyprus and noted that during the negotiations Eroglu had assigned his special advisor Ozersay with the duty of proving that this transfer of population was not illegal. The President condemned also Turkey’s stance towards the Republic of Cyprus and the statements regarding Cyprus being “a half state” or that the Cypriots are “not even a tribe”.
Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen (17.07.12) refers to the same issue and reports that President Christofias said that exchange of properties will not begin after the European Court of Human Rights’ decision on Greek Cypriot refugee Mike Tymvios case. According to Yeni Duzen, he also noted that the elements which unify the Greeks and the Turks of Cyprus are more than the ones which divide them and added that these elements should come forward, noting that if we could not unify Cyprus, this will be a success for the chauvinism.
