"TURKEY AND TRNC ALWAYS CONTINUES TO BE ONE STEP AHEAD FOR PEACE AND FOR SOLUTION"

Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis visited Prime Ministry EU Coordination Center in TRNC where he came to hold a conference and make contacts upon the invitation of the Cyprus Policy Center of the Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU).

In his speech here, Bagis said that he was informed about the works undertaken within the framework of EU harmonization and added that he informed TRNC President Mehmet Ali Talat's special representative for EU and UN talks, Özdil Nami, about the current phase of the ongoing negotiations.

Bagis said "it gave me hope to see TRNC taking determined steps in the EU harmonization process" and added that this project, the common enthusiasm of every quarter, arose enthusiasm in the Baby land also.

Indicating that whenever a common enthusiasm arose in Anatolia it was always achieved, Bagis said that the same was also true for the Baby land. Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator continued his speech as follows:

"The determination and resolution I've observed here, the job TRNC continues to undertake with the EU institutions, the fact that EU has a delegation office here and is supporting a set of projects actually indicates the current position. Cyprus indicates how the idea of EU is warmly welcomed by the Turkish people."

Upon examining the histories of EU member states, Bagis said it could be observed that the states fighting against each other for centuries could now live in peace today and that this fact gave them hope for a long-term peace on the island.

Bagis said "I believe that the steps taken in the EU process are the best evidences for bright future, for peace, tranquility and common wealth in Cyprus. I thank the people contributing to this process."

When asked a question about the meeting Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Prime Minister, made with Kofi Annan, the former Secretary General of the UN, on Cyprus issue in Davos before 2004, Bagis reminded that in the meeting Erdogan had promised "to be one step ahead as the Turkish side". Bagis said that the determination to be one step ahead was indicated in the referendum for the Switzerland and Annan plan and is now also being indicated in the ongoing leaders' talks in Cyprus.

Stating that TRNC and Turkey had always continued to be one step ahead for peace and for solution, Bagis said:

"The whole world has accepted this today. Thank God, we achieved this without withdrawing any soldier of ours, without giving even a small piece of land, with our upright standing, and by protecting our prestige and national honor. Proving to be for peace, we achieved it. Now the whole world has started recognizing Turkey's and TRNC's rightfulness. But we also attach great importance to the continuity of this process. For this, we will continue to have meetings, make efforts to reach a common sense and create a reasonable and permanent solution."

Receiving the representatives of the Cyprus Veterans Associations in the Turkish Embassy in Lefkosa, within the framework of his contacts in TRCN, Bagis said whatever the results of the elections to be held on Sunday in TRCN would be, the continuity of the negotiations between the two leaders on the island was important not only for the rightfulness of the Turkish Cypriot part but also for the continuity of Turkey's European Union (EU) process.

Indicating that there had been peace and tranquility on the island since 1974, Bagis said that they wouldn't approve anything to undermine this situation and that Cyprus, the custody of the martyrs to them, was as important as Istanbul.

Bagis said that until 2004, it was imposed as if it had been the TRCN and Turkey who were inimical to solution, but it had been proved that, after the referendum, it was the Turkish side that longed for solution without withdrawing any soldier and giving even a piece of land.

Indicating that the current Cyprus leader came into power with the promise of bringing solution, Bagis said that the accuracy of this claim would be seen at the end of the ongoing negotiations.

Stating that the Turkish part had always been one step ahead, Bagis said that they wanted the Greeks to indicate their goodwill gesture and that the Cyprian Turks would not step back from the situation achieved.

Bagis said that they were for a permanent and reasonable solution in which the two communities could accept and both states had equal rights. Bagis added that they gave support to TRCN President Mehmet Ali Talat for the ongoing negotiations and attached great importance to the continuity of the talks.

Resource: AA