Under the title: “Turkey’s power should be used”, Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper (23.07.14) reports on statements by the former Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat.
According to information acquired by his office, evaluating to a televised program several issues, Talat referred to the ongoing Cyprus negotiation talks and stressed the need for Turkey’s power to be used, together with other diplomatic ways, in order, as he said, for the path of the negotiations to be broaden and to concentrate on the solution of the problem.
Answering to a question regarding news reports saying that “deputies” by the National Unity Party (UBP) and the Democratic Party (DP) held a meeting at the so-called presidential palace, Talat said that Eroglu’s interest in the internal issues of the parties has affected many of them, adding that he even intervened to the internal affairs of the parties.
Stating that he does not find it strange that Eroglu held a meeting with two political parties that support him, Talat said that Eroglu had transferred all his duties related with the negotiations to the negotiator, since, as he said, he only deals with political parties’ internal issues.
Talat said that “in circumstances where the president is not directly being involved, serious development should not be expected. If the true owner of the problem is interested in other issues rather than the negotiations how will we ever achieve a solution?” he wondered.
Asked to comment on which stage the negotiation talks are, Talat answered that he believes that the negotiations have been blocked. He added that the fact that the meetings between the leaders are concentrated on CBMs in an indicator of this.
Stating that it is a waste of time to be concentrated on the discussion on CBMs, Talat proposed the discussion of CBMs in a technical committee.
Asked to comment on the US Vice President Joe Biden’s use of expression that “the key for the solution is on Erdogan’s hands”, Talat said that it is impossible Biden to have said this. Recalling that this “expression” was published in the Greek Cypriot press, Eroglu added: “We know that the key is in our hands”.
Regarding Israel’s attacks in Palestine, Talat said that this massacre should end. It is obvious once again, he said, how injustice is the international status and that we should take lessons from this, adding: “If the problem in Cyprus is to be solved, we will solve it with an agreement”.