According to the website of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey (http://www.tccb.gov.tr/) on 01.09.14, following the joint news conference he held with the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, the Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, replied to journalists questions and claimed that Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots are doing their parts as to the resolution of the Cyprus problem and said that the other parties involved in the process should do the same.
When asked what is the sine qua non for Turkey, as a guarantor country regarding the resolution in the island, Erdogan said: “We are not spectators in a stadium. Turkey will always have a say regarding the developments in KKTC and it will always stand by KKTC.”
He went and said that it is not possible for Turkey to accept any options but a two-state solution regarding the Cyprus issue and said they could accept a federal structure based on that, pointing to the importance of political equality. “No one has the right to impose anything like ‘you come after us, we will be in front of you.’ We can never approach affirmatively toward such an option at all. Turkey will continue to maintain its resoluteness as a guarantor country in this regard.”
When asked about what he thinks of the fact that when the Turkish Cypriots are at the negotiation desk, Greek leaders constantly try to address their remarks to Turkey, President Erdogan said: “Is the Greek Cypriot administration dealing with its own issues? Do you think it does not receive signals from Greece? Do you believe they do not discuss issues with Greece, the US and even Germany? The Foreign Ministers of the US and Germany talk to the Greek administration and us about these issues. Do Prime Ministers, foreign ministers or diplomats of the international community visit KKTC? No, they don’t. They just ignore KKTC. Instead, they come visit us. We always suggest to them that they should visit that country. They insist on doing that in a buffer zone. Such an option has not worked at all so far. I hope this time it will be useful.”
When asked if he believes that the oil and natural gas to be extracted in the region will bring peace to the island, Erdogan said that the people of the whole island have rights to these resources. “The people of the whole island will benefit from these resources that can be extracted, that this is an international rule” Erdogan said.
3. Eroglu’ statement during the joint press conference with Erdogan
Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (02.09.14) reports on statements by the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu during the joint press conference he gave yesterday with Erdogan.
According to the paper, Eroglu described Erdogan’s visit to the occupied area of Cyprus as “sincere and constructive” and alleged: “Erdogan’s visit is a message to those who are trying to violate the Turkish Cypriot people’s right and law despite the fact that it is the side which supports all the peace efforts which are taking place in this historical process”.
Eroglu also pointed out that important steps were taken during Erdogan’s term in the “prime ministry office”, and said that a strong Turkey means a strong “TRNC” as well.
Stating that “Turkey-TRNC” have strong friendship ties, Eroglu said that nobody can break these ties.
Underlining the “existing realities” in Cyprus, Eroglu alleged that “an agreement is possible to be reached in Cyprus as long as our Greek Cypriot neighbors will withdraw from the vision to return back to the pro-1974 condition in Cyprus”.
Claiming that the Turkish Cypriot side is determined to reach to a peaceful result on the Cyprus problem without any other delay, Eroglu described as a “big unfairness” the “embargoes and isolations” imposed on the Turkish Cypriots, despite their peaceful stance, as he said.
Criticizing the President of the Republic of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades, Eroglu “read out the UN’s parameters” and continued by stating that in order for the negotiations talks to continue, a timetable is a precondition. He added that the negotiations process has started but its pave was not as they wished.
Eroglu went on and alleged that the Turkish Cypriot side has made openings at the negotiation talks and submitted “constructive and compromising proposals” and added: “We will continue to do this, but, I want to state that the Turkish Cypriots have no more patience. And nobody has the right to evaluate us in a bad way”.
Regarding the water transfer project from Turkey, Eroglu said that it is because of Erdogan’s determination and under his instructions that the project will be implemented.
Referring to the economic developments in the occupied area of Cyprus, Eroglu said that it will be useful for the “government’s projects” to be set into force with “motherland’s Turkey support”.
At the end of his speech, Eroglu said that the Turkish Cypriot “people” always pray for the success of “motherland Turkey” and wished for Turkey’s path and their path to be open.
