Turkish Foreign Ministry: solution by the end of the year is possible in Cyprus

Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (03.10.13) reports that Levent Gumrukcu, spokesman of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has said that the visits of the representatives of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot sides to Ankara and Athens “could create a negotiations format that might contribute to the solution” in Cyprus. 

In statements during his regular press conference yesterday, Gumrukcu said that the date of these visits will be determined “simultaneously and at equal level with Greece and the sides in the island”. “There is absolutely no reason for the negotiations not to be completed by the end of the year in case political will could be exhibited after they start”, he argued.

Responding to a question as to whether Turkey has a road map in the negotiating process expected to resume on the Cyprus problem, Gumrukcu, who was evaluating Turkish Foreign Minister Davutoglu’s contacts at the United Nations, noted that Cyprus was an important subject on the agenda of Davutoglu’s contacts in New York. He claimed that the stance which Turkey showed from the very beginning is that the negotiations in Cyprus should start the soonest and be concluded with “determination and effectiveness”. He said that they have also been stating that the two guarantor powers should constructively contribute in the process.

Noting that the visits of representatives of the Greek and Turkish Cypriots to Ankara and Athens is something which will happen for the first time, Gumrukcu pointed out that the position of Turkey that the actual interlocutor of the Greek Cypriots are the Turkish Cypriots has not changed. He noted, though, that while they were saying that, at the same time they have been stating that “we should actively contribute to the process as sides and facilitate the solution”.

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