Federal Solution Model Exhausted: Ozersay

The hydrocarbons in the Eastern Mediterranean belong to both Cypriot communities. The Turkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots were co-owners of these resources, Foreign Minister Kudret Ozersay has said.

Speaking at a press conference at the UN headquarters in Geneva, Ozersay reiterated that the path for a solution [to the Cyprus problem] was obstructed by the fact that the negotiations had been held for 50 years only on the basis of a federal model in which power and wealth were shared.

Stating that the Greek Cypriot side did not wish to share power and wealth with the Turkish Cypriots, Ozersay argued that reaching an agreement on a common basis without the sharing of power and wealth would not be possible, that the Greek Cypriot side fully used the advantages of being a member of the EU and that the lack of confidence continued.

North Cyprus News - Drillship - Saipem 12000Referring to the hydrocarbons, Ozersay said that the proposal submitted by the Turkish Cypriots in 2011 for cooperating on this issue before the solution of the Cyprus problem was still valid. He said:

“[…] This proposal, however, was not accepted. Therefore, we followed the same approach with the one taken by the Greek Cypriot side (on the hydrocarbon resources). We did not make a move to prevent the use of these resources, but we followed the same approach. […]

The only thing we need is solidarity. This solidarity will be also the beginning of a lasting solution in Cyprus. We need direct dialogue on this issue […]”.

Referring to the recent fall of a missile near Tashkent village, Ozersay said that the war in Syria was going on since 2011 and this was the first time that a missile had fallen on Cyprus. He noted that this was an isolated incident and that Cyprus was a safe place. He further added that the TRNC’s representation office in New York had taken the necessary action before the UN and expressed its concern over the issue.

Asked about the resumption of the Cyprus negotiations, Ozersay replied that before the resumption of a new negotiating process, the “realities on the ground” should be very well understood and the kind of desirable partnership should be agreed and accepted. Ozersay also said that a federal Cyprus was not the only way for a solution and that other ways could be found. He reiterated the view that other solution models based on cooperation could be tried, instead of the federal solution, which is based on sharing and has been discussed for the past 50 years in Cyprus. He also noted the following:

We are obliged to find a way to live together on this island. However, as it would be understood from the realities, this way is not a federal partnership. I believe that during the past 50 years we have been exhausted from every kind of negotiation, discussions, counter arguments, diplomatic techniques and kinds of negotiations. We tried, we are tired and we failed. If we are to begin a new negotiating process we should sit and discuss what we will be negotiating. According to the estimation of both myself and the government, the federal partnership model has been exhausted”.

BRT

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