TRNC PRESIDENT TALAT PARTICIPATED IN THE MARMARA GROUP FOUNDATION DINNER The President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Mehmet Ali Talat, and his wife participated in the dinner organized in their honour by the Marmara Group Foundation on February 1, 2007, in İstanbul.   The President Talat talked on the recent developments in the Cyprus issue in his speech after the meal.   THE 2004 REFERANDUM HAS INITIATED A NEW PROCESS   Talat expressed that the balance in the Cyprus issue has shifted following the referendum in the Island in April 2004. Stating that the new process made it noticed that the Turkish Cypriots were in favor of unification and peace whereas the Greek Cypriots were not, Talat said “this issue has been clarified as a proven reality thanks to the referendum.” Talat stressed on the consolidation of the Turkish Cypriot position by saying that “today, we have no difficulty in having contacts with foreign officials. And in our meetings with them, we can easily put forward our solution, which is a bi-communal and two-state solution.”   Talat added that as TRNC, they believed that the solution should be sought within the UN framework, not the EU because the EU was not impartial. He also added that the EU was also aware of this fact.   The TRNC President said that the negotiations initiated by the UN were progressing at a very slow pace due to the Greek Cypriots’ insistence to include the property issue into the discussions. Talat said that the goal of the Greek Cypriot administration in doing this was to have the world declare a moratorium against the Turkish side and to strengthen their hand for the next general elections.   THE WORLD STARTED TO SEE WE ARE RIGHT   Talat underlined that the rightfulness of the Turkish side should be publicized to the world. He said “they sometimes ask me: ‘Have you now understood the real intentions of the Greek Cypriots?’ I already knew their intentions. But this is not important. We needed to show this to the world. We have shown that the Turkish Cypriots want peace and unification. What we must do is to continue this policy.”   Stating that other countries also had started to think that the Turkish side was right, the President said “the world, at first, was doubtful towards the claims of the Turkish side.  But now they started to consider we are right. The foreign think-tanks and NGOs are saying us that they could assist us in our legitimate cause.”   Talat said that the Russian and French high-ranking authorities had met with him, and that the mission statement and the contingency of the UN peace-keeping force (UNFICYP) was changed in favor of the Turkish Cypriots and added that all these developments also exemplify that the global community started to see that the TRNC was the side which wanted genuine peace.   At the end of his speech, the Turkish Cypriot President answered the questions of the audience. The questions-and-answers session was as follows:   What are your red lines for a solution?   “Our most important red line is political equality between both communities because it is the eternal guarantee of the existence of the Turkish Cypriots in the Island. A majority/minority relationship will not work. Secondly, within the framework of political equality, we demand bi-zonality. I am not implying pure-Turkish and pure-Greek zones, but, concerning the Turkish zone, the Turkish Cypriots should have clear majority. And third, Turkey should remain as the guarantor state until a mutual trust is constructed between the two communities in the Island.”   What is the stance of the British toward the issue and what is your opinion about the British?   “The fact is that the British are by far the closest party to the Turkish Cypriots in the EU. Despite that, they also pose some difficulties to us in daily life. For example, the UNFICYP Commander is a British, and we have some disagreements with him in certain issues.”   The Belgian model is presented as an alternative solution in Cyprus. What is your opinion on that model?   “As a matter of fact, the Annan Plan models the Belgian system in terms of the Cyprus-EU relations, and the Swiss system in terms of intercommunal relations. I think that this model [Belgian model] could be considered.”   We see that the Greek Cypriots are always supported by Greece. Is there a common strategy between Turkey and the TRNC and if yes, is it satisfactory?   “Turkey fully supports us without any rules and preconditions, just like the Greece does to the Greek Cypriots. The Greek side has a principle: Cyprus decides, Greece supports. It is the same for us. However, we have such a thing: The Cyprus issue is discussed as a domestic political issue in Turkey and this makes us quiet uncomfortable. Our relations with Turkey is not dependent on the governments, our relations are with the Turkish state. My first request from you is not to carry the Cyprus problem to the domestic politics. For even a trivial mistake of ours is immediately exploited by the Greek side. We cannot act with one voice but the Greek Cypriots can.”   Is the problem of lack of unity a problem that emerged today or has it been existing from the outset?   “The lack of unity is not today’s problem. It was more acute in the past. Today, it is less grave. In the past, the unity was out of question because the opinion of the opposition had never been taken into account. Today, we are keeping our dialogue even though we sometimes criticize each other.”   In the South, there is concerted action. They end at the same point even though their opinions are different.”   Why did you construct the Lokmacı Bridge and what was your expectation by demolishing it?   “The Greek Cypriots used the issue of the opening of Lokmacı against us for years. After the referendum, however, they presented four proposals to regain their prestige. These were;   1) Deconfrontation along the border… In other words, the dismantling of military outposts and elimination of some other security measures along the border. 2) An end to military exercises with heavy weaponries and armored vehicles in the Island. 3)  De-mining in the Island. 4)  Opening of eight new border gates.   We declined these proposals, but instead, we offered to open two border gates. First, we unilaterally opened the Bostancı Gate. The Greek side reciprocated. And then we opened the Lokmacı.   Our aim by demolishing the bridge was to put pressure on the Greek side. The Bridge had no strategic or military significance. We have now achieved our aim. The representatives of other countries have now turned their face to Greek Cypriots for reciprocation. But the Greek side cannot demolish their crossing because they built a hall there, where people can light candles as a commemoration and things like that.   To put it short, the bridge was not an obstacle for us. We built it, we demolished it. It had no strategic importance.”   After the President’s speech, Dr. Akkan Suver presented a memoir of the dinner to Mr. Talat and expressed his gratitude for his participation.