LEFKOSA, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
Turkey's Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has called on all parties to work together to set a peace-making example in Cyprus.
Speaking on Tuesday at a joint press conference with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Dervis Eroglu in Lefkosa, Davutoglu said: “This is the time to act."
"I call on Mr Anastasiadis – the Greek Cypriot administration leader – from here, let's make this peace as soon as possible, not tomorrow but today, not next week but this week, not next year but this year."
“Every postponed solution actually deepens deadlock, let's not postpone it,” he added.
Davutoglu called on Greek Prime Minister Andonis Samaras to work towards a peaceful resolution on the decades-old deadlock, saying: “If the Greek Prime Minister Honorable is ready, let's go to the South first, take a tea together, have a chat."
"Then let's come to the North and get together again. The Mediterranean has been the common sea of so many civilizations and nations. Let's together build peace here.”
He continued: “We wanted the Island of Cyprus to be an island of peace so that peace, prosperity and tranquility come to Eastern Mediterranean through the peace established in Cyprus."
“We wanted that Turkey, Greece, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and Greek Cypriot administration to sit around the same table and think about how can we make the Eastern Mediterranean a basin of peace, however, no matter how a strong will we have used, unfortunately we did not find a response we wanted.”
- 'Peace and stability'
Regarding the negotiations process in Cyprus, the prime minister said: "The U.N General Assembly will convene soon. Bring the sides together at that General Assembly. Keep them in a closed room for days if necessary. Let peace come to that room, peace and stability should come to the Eastern Mediterranean."
Referring to the possible case of a rotational government being established following the negotiations, he said: “I am talking about Cyprus with a Turkish Cypriot and a Greek Cypriot president. I will be the first to visit here whether it is a Greek Cypriot or a Turkish Cypriot president."
"If Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots appoint their representatives for the State of Cyprus together as friendly peoples, we will not care whether that is a Turkish or a Greek Cypriot."
A fresh round of negotiations to solve the Cyprus issue will be held on Tuesday between Eroglu and Anastasiadis and interdelegational negotiations will continue on Wednesday.
The island of Cyprus has remained divided into Greek and Turkish sides since a Greek Cypriot coup was followed by a Turkish peace mission to aid Turkish Cypriots in the north in 1974.
Negotiations over Cyprus resumed after a 2004 deal put forward by the former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to reunify the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot communities.
The plan was defeated by a no vote in a referendum on the Greek side of the island, whereas Turkish Cypriots voted in favor.
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