According to illegal BRT television (online, 18.04.14), self-styled foreign minister Ozdil Nami, speaking to the “BRT” after completing his contacts in Ankara upon his arrival at the occupied airport of Tymvou, Ercan Airport, evaluated his contacts in Ankara.

Nami said that the latest developments on the Cyprus issue were evaluated during his meetings with Turkish officials, members of the foreign press and Turkish foreign news editors.

Reminding that he held meetings with Turkish Deputy Prime Minister in Charge of Cyprus Affairs Besir Atalay, the Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and the Turkish European Affairs Minister and Chief Negotiator Mevlut Cavusoglu, Nami said the meetings have all been very fruitful.

“We exchanged views on the latest developments on the negotiations process, the support given by Turkey to the EU harmonization process and future contributions in this direction as well as on other issues. In addition to taking important decisions we also decided on what should be done to realize these through tangible projects. Therefore, it was a very fruitful visit”, Nami said.

Explaining that these visits will continue, Nami said “consultations on the comprehensive negotiations process and for further developing the relations between the TRNC and Turkey will continue in the near future.”
Meanwhile, Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 18.04.14) reported that the fenced off town of Varosha can only be reopened as part of a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus, not a confidence-building measure in the ongoing talks, Nami claimed.

Nami said that the Turkish Cypriots have reaffirmed their position on the issue during a recent visit by EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule to the island.

“It’s incorrect to tie confidence-building measures to Varosha,” Nami said yesterday at a meeting with the Diplomatic Correspondents’ Association in Ankara.

The issue of Varosha is an arrangement about land, and even discussion about the proposal will result in months of arguments since Turkish Cypriots are not satisfied with the offer and will ask for more, he said, adding that “northern Cypriots were worried any talks on the issue would detract from the core of reunification negotiations”.

“And then we’ll find ourselves discussing this issue instead of a comprehensive settlement,” he said, stressing that confidence-building measures should rather be projects that would directly affect people of the island in a positive way.

Elaborating on his meeting with Fule, Nami said they urged the Commission to “take braver steps” in order to lift the reportedly isolation of the Turkish Cyprus.

Nami also expressed disappointment at the slow pace of the talks and complained about the refusal of the Greek Cypriots to have more frequent meetings between the leaders.

Nami also said that the Greek Cypriots were avoiding discussion of “rapprochement papers” which were produced during former talks. Nami ruled out elaborating on an alternative plan of a two-state solution if the negotiations fail.

“Our sole aim at the moment is to establish a federal structure established with a Turkish Cypriot founding state and a Greek Cypriot founding state on the basis of equality,” he said.