Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (28.01.16) under the title: “Turkey undertakes all the necessary steps towards the solution of the Cyprus problem”, reports on statements by the “speaker” of the so-called assembly Sibel Siber who evaluated to Ankara Anatolia news agency the latest stage of the Cyprus negotiation process and Turkey’s role to the process as a guarantor country.
Referring to the contacts she held yesterday with high level officials in Ankara and with Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister, responsible for Cyprus Affairs Tugrul Turkes, Siber alleged that Turkey has always supported the solution of the Cyprus problem and it has shown a clear and lucid stance. “Turkey always sent positive messages; it supports the negotiation process and it undertakes steps towards the solution. Turkey is always by our side and its support is important”, Siber said.
Referring to the issue of “guarantees”, Siber argued: “Turkey’s guarantees are a security for us and the stance of the Turkish Cypriots towards this is clear. A solution which will not envisage Turkey’s guarantees will not be accepted by the Turkish Cypriot people”.
Siber added further that that the guarantees issue will be discussed at the end of the talks by the Greek Cypriot side, the Turkish Cypriot side, Turkey, Greece and the UK in a five-partite summit.
Asked to evaluate the interconnection of Turkey’s EU bid with the Cyprus problem and the fact that the “Greek Cypriot administration”, as the Republic of Cyprus is called, blocks the opening of chapters for Turkey, Siber said: “In fact, it shouldn’t be like this. It is unacceptable the connection of the Cyprus problem with Turkey’s ties with the EU”. “We demand by the Greek Cypriot side, which is a member of the EU, not to put obstacles in Turkey’s EU bid and not to block Turkey’s EU bid, since, Turkey is at present in favor of the solution of the Cyprus problem”, she added.