Talat Now Urged To End Talks-Cyprus
Talat’spresidential hopes are heading in same direction as his prized peace talks with new calls to quit negotiations.
There is mounting pressure on President Mehmet Ali Talat to walk away from the peace talks after a Greek cypriot resolution to scrap the guarantee system.
İt has emerged thet Mr Talat made telephone calls to his counterpart Demetris Chiristofias and Demotratic Rally Party leader Nicos Anastassiyades following the unanimous vote, warning them of the impact it would have on the negotiations.
He branded the move as “sabotage and provocation”,stating :”Guarantees are international treaties. The Greek Cypriot House decision cannot on an international treaty.
“This is one aspect of the issue, but what is important is the intention.
“The intention is provocation because this is an issue on the agenda of the negotiations. İt has been taken up and the sides have put forward their positions.
“And this resolution has been adopted knowing full well that the issue is a subject to be discussed at the negotiations. To top it all they are fully aware of the Turkish Cypriot side;s sensitivity in this regard.”
Last Thursday’s resolution could also signal an end to his hopes of relection, which some political observers say rested on a potential solution . Now Democrat Party leader Serdar Denktas has led fresh calls for the president to quit the negotiations.
His party tabled a motion at the TRNC Parliament on Monday to suspend the talks until after the presidential elections in April. This was rejected but Parliament was today due to discuss a counter-resolution insisting that the guarantees remain.
A newly – formed Alliance of Independence, comprising 22 civil society groups in North Cyprus normally backing calls for peace, also wants Mr Talat to abandon the talks.
Spokeman Hasan Yilmaz Isik said:”The Greek Cypriot side has openly declared its opposition to any from of partnership with the Turkish side and its support for a separate Hellenic state.”
The Greek Cypriot resolution comes weeks after previous calls for Mr Talat to end the negotiations in the wake of the court defeat of Linda and David Orams, with the court of Appeal in London agreeing that a South Nicosia court can have jurisdiction over North Cyprus.
The resolution targeted Turkey for having gone against the spirit of the 1960 Treaty of Guarantees, but made no mention of Greece breaking the guarantor pledge in 1974 when it sparked the military coup that ousted President Makarios. There was no mention of the UK either, normally criticised roundly by both sides for failing to do more to prevent the bloodshed that followed the breakdown of the Republic.
Presidential spokesman Hasan Ercakica said the Greek Cypriot side was trying to provoke the Turkish Cypriots who, he said, would”not be deceived by it”.
He added “We want to remind the Greek Cypriot administration and all related parties that the continuation of the guarantee and alliance agreements is vital.”
The Turkish National Security Council sat on Friday and decided that the Greek Cypriot rejections injanuary of moves aimed at ending the current impasse meant the island could remain divided.
İt was also highly critical of recent European Parliament reports on the Cyprus issue saying the findings of those reports went against the established principles of the solution process, United Nation frameworks, the realities on the island and the rights of the Turkish Cypriots.
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