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President Mehmet Ali Talat has said that the negotiation process has successfully been proceeding and that he wanted to reach an agreement and to submit it to the approval of the people before the Presidential elections in 2010.

Mr Talat briefed members of the Society of the Martyrs' Families and the Disabled War Veterans on the course of the negotiation process in Cyprus. Pointing out that a different situation exists and a different process is being conducted in Cyprus, the President said his aim was to reach a strong agreement as he knew the concerns and views of the martyrs' families, who he said, had suffered a lot in establishing today's positive conditions.

'A strong peace' means the prevention of the repetition of the bitter experiences of the past, the protection of the right to live free, which the Turkish Cypriots gained, and the lifting of isolation' he said.

The President stated that great importance has been attached to the 'Governance and Power Sharing', which he said, was the main reason behind the sufferings of the people.

This is because it was the reason behind the Cyprus problem and the struggle waged by our martyrs', the President noted. Reminding that discussions on this topic lasted more than 4 mouths, he said 'we explained the Turkish Cypriots' sensitivities and what is important for us. The gap between the positions of the two sides narrowed on some issues while some remained same. But, the two sides more or less cleared their positions'.

On the Property issue, which was the second topic of the negotiations, the President stated that the two sides first tried to set the principles that should guide the discussions on the issue but noted that no serious progress was achieved towards bridging the gap between the positions of the sides.

Pointing out that the property is not one of a reason but the result of the Cyprus problem, he explained that discussions on that topic have been ended temporarily and that the two leaders were to continue their talks with EU matters.

'Our objective is to complete discussions on six chapters and if possible, to enter a second round of negotiations next Spring and to start a give-and¬take process. And if possible, to reach an agreement', the President said.

Mr Talat stated that there were natural time limits for the conclusion of the talks, one is the end of 2009 when the EU is to reviews Turkey's negotiation process and the second 2010 when the Presidential elections is to be held in the TRNC. 'In 2010, we have presidential elections. So we may have to give a break to the talks. I think, if possible, it will be right to reach an agreement and to submit it to the approval of the people before that date', Talat said. The President also noted that Turkey is the strongest supporter of the Turkish Cypriot People in the negotiation process.

© Copyright Cyprus Times 2008

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Joost Lagendijk commented on EU's Cyprus policy at a university conference held in New York on 'Democracy, Islam and Secularism: Turkey on Comparative Perspective'.

The Co-Chairman said the EU membership of the Greek Cypriot side which voted 'no' on the Annan Plan, and French President Nicholas Sarkozy's statements against Turkey's EU membership, have cause deeper concerns in Turkey, raising the feeling that the EU does not want to include Turkey.

Lagendijk said EU also should express that it would accept Turkey as a member when the country fulfilled the membership criteria.

Joost Lagendijk, co-chairman of the Turkey-EU Joint Parliamentary Committee, said on Saturday that Turkey's ruling and opposition party leaders' recent visits to Brussels were perceived by certain EU circles as "the first step of a new spring" in Turkey-EU relations.

Commenting on Turkey's EU membership process during a conference at New York's Columbia University, Lagendijk said that there had been important developments in relations between Turkey and EU in 2009.

Lagendijk listed these developments as Turkey's assigning a chief negotiator for EU talks, national TV TRT's starting broadcasts in Kurdish, developments regarding the Alewite community and particularly Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Republican People's Party's (CHP) chairperson Deniz Baykal's recent visits to the Belgian capital of Brussels.

Noting that such visits were appreciated by circles supporting Turkey's EU membership, Lagendijk said this fresh period should continue after the upcoming local elections in Turkey as well. Lagendijk said that EU should see a clear sign from Turkey showing its commitment to the EU process, adding that Justice and Development (AK) Party and CHP should definitely work together in the reform process.

Lagendijk said EU also ' should express that it would accept Turkey as a member when the country fulfilled the membership criteria.

Criticizing EU's Cyprus policy, Lagendijk said EU's accepting the Greek Cypriot party as a member was a mistake. He said EU should force the Greek Cypriot party to agree with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) for the unification of the island.

Commenting on the allegations claiming that he supported a "moderate Islam" in Turkey, Lagendijk said such allegations were wrong and stated that Turkey should definitely remain a secular state.

© Copyright Cyprus Times 2008

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Mehmet Ali Talat told the newspaper he was unhappy with the pace of the U.N. brokered negotiations with Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias on power-sharing on the Mediterranean island.

President Talat signaled he may not run for office in 2010 if a settlement is not reached with Greek Cypriots°by year-end. Turkish Cypriots president signaled he may not run for office in 2010 if a settlement is not reached with Greek Cypriots by year-end, Sabah newspaper said on Saturday.

The two sides revived extensive reunification talks in September. Talat was elected president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus 2005 on a campaign to reunite the island.

Turkish Cypriots want to reach a settlement by the end of this year in order to secure' progress in Turkey's bid to join the European Union, TRNC President said. The EU has frozen sections of Turkey's entry talks because it refuses to open sea and airports to Greek Cypriots until a deal on the island is reached.

"If there's no hope for,a resolution by (year-end), I will have completed my mission," Talat said, signalling he wouldn't run in Turkish Cypriot elections next year, Sabah reported.

Talat said "serious differences in views" remained between the two sides; according to Sabah. The most difficult issues are resolving property disputes and exchanging territory; he said.

© Copyright Cyprus Times 2008

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The Board of Directors of the Chamber of Industry has visited Prime Minister Ferdi Sa.bit Soyer and voiced their demand for the creation of a joint industry committee which will discuss ways of bringing solutions to the problems being faced by industrialists.

The new President of the Chamber Ali ~irali underlined the need for the creation of necessary conditions that will make it possible for the industrialists to remain standing and to compete with their neighbours.

The Premier, for his part, pointed out that the industrialists have been waging a determined struggle against inflation, devaluation and isolation to remain standing.

He said a joint struggle should be waged to eliminate the hardships being faced, which he said are known very well. Mr Soyer also announced that an economic coordination committee would be set up after the 19 April elections with the participation of all the sectors concerned, NGOs and ministries to coordinate actions to be taken towards improving the economy. Referring to the industrialists' demands for the setting up of Joint Industry Committee, he said a broader cooperation committee would be established to coordinate economic action.

© Copyright Cyprus Times 2008

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There is optimism among most Cyprus watchers nowadays that the island could indeed move this year toward a resolution of its over four decades-old problem.

Many people are anticipating a simultaneous but separate referenda by the two peoples of the island on a Cyprus peace plan devised by Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias and his Turkish counterpart, Mehmet Ali Talat.

Indeed, news coming from Cyprus indicates the two leaders have almost completed discussions on the "property ownership" chapter as well and that probably by the end of April the first reading of all five chapters will be completed.

There are claims as well that Turkish Cypriot leader,Talat, has finally secured support of the U.N. special envoy, Alexander Downer, as well as the United States and the British regarding a timetable according to which the two leaders will complete a deal by the end of August and submit in November the plan for the creation of a new partnership state on the eastern Mediterranean island to separate but simultaneous referenda of the two peoples of Cyprus.

According to this timetable, by the end of April the two leaders and at a lower level a joint team co-headed by Ozdil Nami from northern Turkish Cyprus and George lacovou of the southern Greek Cyprus will complete the first reading in all five chapters.

So far, the two leaders have completed first reading in the "Matters related to governance" and "Property issues" chapters and are planning to move on within a week or so to the "European Union matters and Economy" chapter.

After the completion of the first reading in April, there will be a short time off for Talat and Christofias during which their aides Nami and lacovou will prepare a report on "Issues agreed," "Issues partly agreed" and "Issues where there is no convergence of views of the two sides."

The second reading by the two leaders will start in middle May and the two leaders will concentrate only on the "Issues partly agreed" and "Issues where there is no convergence of views of the two sides." The second reading will be completed by the end of August and after a short break during which a report will again be prepared by Nami and lacovou, in early September the two leaders will engage in a give-and-take round of talks. In this last phase unlike the two meeting a week routine of the first two rounds, the two leaders will meet every day.

That final third round of discussions between the two leaders is expected to be completed by the end of October. Thus, late in November the two peoples of the island will go to the booths for a second time in five years to vote in simultaneous but separate referenda on a peace plan. If the plan written by Talat and Christofias receive peoples of the island, then a new partnership state will be established on the island.

The other side of the coin Despite this optimistic note, however, the Greek Cypriot side has so far never accepted a timetable in the current talk's process. Greek Cypriot leader Christofias has been stressing that there should be no time pressure on the talks and the Cypriot parties should be left to discuss an agreement under the principle "A Cypriot agreement for Cypriots."

Secondly, the Greek Cypriot side is particularly against involvement of Turkey, Greece or Britain in the process in any form even though they are the three guarantor powers. One of the aims of the talks, according to Greek Cypriots, has been to get rid of all foreign troops. Thus, one aim of the negotiations is to abrogate the 1960 guarantee system (a non-starter for Turkish Cypriots). Thirdly, the Greek Cypriot side is against a daily uninterrupted give-and-take session.

Furthermore, the 2004 plan faltered not just because of some unacceptable security arrangements or because the document allowed continued stay of some limited number of Turkish troops on the island. Rather it collapsed because Greek Cypriots refused to share power in administration on the basis of equality with Turkish Cypriots. So far there are no signs that there is a change in that approach of Greek Cypriots.

© Copyright Cyprus Times 2008

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The ruling Republican Turkish Party-United Forces stresses the need for a political settlement which it says will bring Turkish Cypriots to a brighter future.

Prime Minister and the CTP Leader Ferdi Sabit Soyer has voiced out his party's primary goals as bringing a solution to the Cyprus problem and allowing Turkish Cypriots a future that brings further development in accordance with the European Union Acquis Communautaire.

Speaking at a CTP gathering, the Premier criticized previous governmental policies which he said supported the non-solution on the island, saying these policies had caused Turkish Cypriots stay behind the world-wide developments.

He noted that preparing the economic and social living of Turkish Cypriots for harmonization with the EU Acquis Communautaire is among the primary goals for CTP.

On the other hand, the main opposition National Unity Party sets its goal as protecting the equality, sovereignty, freedom and prosperity of Turkish Cypriots.

At a party gathering last night, the UBP Leader Dervis Eroglu claimed that the UBP was the architect of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the creator of its economy.

© Copyright Cyprus Times 2008

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In his statement, the Foreign Minister referred to the news published by the Greek Cypriot press which reported that 368-million 600-thousand euros of the 2009 budget allocated for the Greek Cypriot National Guard were earmarked for armament, and that Russian made T80 tanks, TOR-M2 anti-aircraft systems, KORNET anti-tank systems and 3 military helicopters would be brought.

Mr Avci called on all concerned countries and institutions, especially the United Nations and the European Union - which remained silent over the issue until now - to stop the armament of the Greek Cypriot Side.

Earlier, the Greek Cypriot press reported detailed information about the money earmarked from the 2009 budget for armament and a list of arms to be purchased from the Russian military market.

The Greek Cypriot press says that Russian market has been the first choice as the United States and Germany imposed embargoes over the selling of arms to South Cyprus.

© Copyright Cyprus Times 2008