Kudret Ozersay, chairman of the People’s Party (HP), has described the course of the Cyprus negotiations as “not pleasant”, saying that the Greek Cypriot side had voted to reject the solution to the Cyprus problem in 2004 when it saw that it would access the EU without one.
Ozersay asserted that it is possible that the Greek Cypriot political leadership is avoiding the solution now to the extent it feels that it is able to extract and sell natural gas without a Cyprus settlement.
He said he is worried that the Greek Cypriots are dragging the negotiations out in order to make progress on the hydrocarbons issue.
Arguing that no one has the right to further disappoint the Turkish Cypriot people, Ozersay expressed the view that the important thing is not the commencement of the negotiations, but the creation of elements which will make the Greek Cypriot side look favourably on the solution.
Referring to the referendum on the constitutional amendments in Turkey, Ozersay said that his party would prefer Turkey, which is their “most important ally, friend and strategic partner”, to be a secular, democratic, powerful and stable country based on human rights.
He noted that they want Turkey to be respected internationally and have good relations with other countries.
Recalling Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s saying “peace at home – peace in the world”, Ozersay argued that Mustafa Kemal had not said this “for nothing”. He noted that just like they do not want Turkey to interfere in their elections and referenda, they also should not interfere in Turkey’s elections and the choices of the Turkish voters.
Yeni Bakis