Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi (08.10.14) reports that Turkish Cypriot negotiator Kudret Ozersay said that he will continue his contacts with the UN, claiming that the Greek Cypriot side was looking for an “excuse” to abandon the negotiating table.
In a statement to Al Jazeera, Ozersay evaluated the decision by the Cypriot President Nikos Anastasiades to withdraw from the negotiations because of Turkey sending warships to the area where hydrocarbon exploration activities are now being carried out.
Ozersay said: “I talked with Mavroyiannis and the UN representative. Mavroyiannis told me that ‘as the current conditions continue, it is not possible to have a meeting on the level of leaders or negotiators; we will only meet with the UN’. Besides, the UN SG`s Special Adviser on Cyprus Espen Barth Eide will meet with Mavroyiannis at night and he would have met with me this morning. We will continue our contacts with the UN. After this, the situation will become clearer.”
Ozersay claimed: “Anyway, I think that they were not willing when we arrived at the bargaining stage, they found an excuse for this situation. […] The interesting thing is that although they created this actual situation, they themselves suspended the negotiation process in connection with the drilling activities.”
According to the paper, some officials from Turkey’s Foreign Ministry speaking to Al Jazeera said that they are waiting the detailed statement by the Greek Cypriot side, and they will determine Turkey’s stance after their discussion with the “TRNC” (translator’s note: the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus).
