Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper (27.01.14) reports that Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu has said that the fact that the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan had stressed on “the two founding states in Cyprus” during his recent visit to Brussels relieved the Turkish Cypriot side. In statements to a Turkish television channel, Eroglu noted that during his recent visit to Ankara they once again saw that they are in harmony with Ankara.
Asked to comment on Erdogan’s statement in Brussels as regards the view on “two founding states”, Eroglu argued: “Mr Prime Minister said it very correctly. With this reply to Mr Schultz [Translator’s note: the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schultz] he drew attention to a reality”.
Eroglu said that they are trying to establish a “new partnership state” and argued that “it is out of the question for the south to represent the north”. “The reply given by Mr Prime Minister relieved us”, he added.
Asked what the positions of the Turkish side are as regards the solution in Cyprus, Eroglu said that they want “a new bi-zonal, bi-communal federal state which will be established by two founding states based on political equality”.
Replying to a question on the agreement between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Cyprus regarding the properties in the British Sovereign Bases on the island, Eroglu said that they had conveyed their objections on this issue to the British High Commissioner in Cyprus. He alleged that the Turkish Cypriots are the owners of one part of these bases and added that they object to the transfer of these properties to the Guardian of the Turkish Cypriot properties [Translator’s note: The Guardian is the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Cyprus, which is responsible for all Turkish Cypriot properties in the government controlled area of the island].
Referring to the issue of the illegal Turkish settlers, Eroglu said that the first settlers had come to the island in 1975, got married and had children. “The father of two of my grandchildren is from Turkey”, he added andreiterated the position that all the “citizens” of the “TRNC” will become “citizens of the partnership state”.
Asked on how the water to be transferred from Turkey to the occupied area of Cyprus will contribute to the solution of the Cyprus problem, Eroglu said that 75 million cubic meters of water will come and added that “this is more than enough for the TRNC”.
Meanwhile, referring to the same statements, Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi newspaper (27.01.14) reports that Eroglu said that there is a water shortage in the Greek Cypriot side, as he described the government-controlled area of the Republic of Cyprus. “In the end they will be doomed to accept the water which will come from Turkey to the TRNC”.
CNA