Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi (20.01.12) reports that Besir Atalay, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister responsible for Cyprus, has said that if the negotiating process for finding a solution in Cyprus ends with no success, the “TRNC”, as he described the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the island, will continue its own way and its economy will be strengthened every day.
In statements to Anatolia news agency, Atalay noted that the meeting which will be held in New York between 22 and 24 January is important and that it will be a turning point. He argued that a multilateral conference with the participation of the guarantor powers and the sides in Cyprus will be considered as a successful result for the meeting at the Greentree. In case the process is unsuccessful, the “TRNC”, the economy of which is strengthened every day, will continue its own way, he argued.
Alleging that the problems will become bigger with the Republic of Cyprus’s EU term presidency without a solution to the Cyprus problem, Atalay claimed that Cyprus’s EU term presidency could be postponed until the Cyprus problem is solved.
Atalay gave the following “advice” to the Turkish Cypriots: “?That is, my advice to the Turks of Northern Cyprus is let us do whatever we can for the negotiations, but let us not be sadden because this or that result came out of them. Let us continue our way. Let us do well our job here, let us exert effort for making more easily viable the life here and let us have faith in the future. Northern Cyprus will always remain standing. Turkey will always be behind Northern Cyprus, it will always be by its side. Either a solution comes out of the negotiations, or northern Cyprus continues its way as independent state, nothing will change in life here. Nothing will change in the life of the citizens. The important thing is for them to make more investments, to work more, we are trying together to make this place a stronger state, God willing”.
Referring to the drilling for oil which Turkey and the regime plan to start on shore in the occupied area of Famagusta, Atalay said that the issue passed from the “assemblies” of both “countries”, as he described Turkey and the breakaway regime, and that there was no obstacle. “The work will start in full course. It will start on shore first, if necessary it will start at the sea area and it will continue”. Asked whether there was an area determined in the sea for explorations, Atalay said “it will be around Famagusta”. “However, it is a technical issue, it could move to other areas”, he added.