Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris (23.11.14) reported that Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, who was in Istanbul on a private visit, met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
During the meeting, Erdogan and Eroglu evaluated the latest developments on the Cyprus problem and the efforts to overpass the problems of the Turkish Cypriot “people”. Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was also present at the meeting.
On the same issue, according to illegal Bayrak television (online, 24.11.14), Eroglu, evaluating the contacts he held in Istanbul over the weekend, said that restarting the suspended comprehensive negotiations and conducting result-oriented talks is the Turkish Cypriot side’s main strategy.
Eroglu said that his meeting with Erdogan who had also met with the US Vice President earlier was quite meaningful. He added that they had found an opportunity to discuss their joint strategy for Cyprus during the meeting.
“Firstly, Turkey will not withdraw its ships or give up its exploration activities. Secondly, we too have an equal right and say over any natural resources surrounding the island. Thirdly, Turkey supports a political settlement in Cyprus and the resumption of the negotiations process. However we are aware that the Greek Cypriot side is putting forward preconditions so as to delay the process” he claimed, pointing out that Turkey like the “TRNC” is running out of patience.
“The negotiations have been going on for years. Turkey, like us, has no intention of sitting at the negotiating table for years particularly when one takes into account the fact that the Greek Cypriots have rejected all agreements put on the table to this day, particularly the Annan Plan”, he noted.