Emine Colak
FOREIGN MINISTER EMINE COLAK has met with British politicians and also given a private press conference to the media on Tuesday evening (17 November)
In her speech, Minister Çolak underlined that the ongoing negotiation process is an important opportunity to solve the Cyprus problem and added that a possible solution will be useful for both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.
Minister Çolak also held important contacts during her visit in on Tuesday. In this context, Çolak held a meeting with the UK Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Crispin Blunt at the Parliament. Minister Çolak gave information to Blunt about the current situation of the negotiations at the meeting which lasted about an hour.
In the private press conference minister Emine Colak spoke of the importance of Turkish Cypriots living abroad to the island and also answered an exclusive question from Londra Gazete.
“WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN FOR THE TURKISH CYPRIOT PEOPLE”
She explained that Turkish Cypriots, especially those living abroad are very important to the TRNC. She said: “We want you to be able to trust the new ruling and government in North Cyprus. We are doing everything we can for the public of North Cyprus. I have met with British politicians and I await them to support us in making peace as well as other issues.”
“BOTH SIDES HAVE TO PERMIT THE SOLUTION TOGETHER”
Answering Londra Gazete’s question on the natural gas from the Greek side, Çolak, said “Looking at the island’s resources, in the future for all people this will be a prosperity, an advantage and will possibly have the potential to turn into a fortune. But if the solution doesn’t take place then this causes a clash and tension. We’ve seen this in the previous months. It became a period that went as far as leaving the table.”
Speaking in response to whether a referendum will happen or not, she said: “This solution has to be presented to both publics who will be going through the together. This happened at the time of the Annan Plan as well.”
Çolak stated that both sides worked hard to solve the problem, and added that the guarantor countries, the EU and the United States also support the process. Indicating that Turkey’s strong support for the process and for a possible solution is clearly continuing, Minister Çolak drew attention to the increasing importance of the continuation of the support of the UK to the process and a possible solution. In response, Blunt stated that the UK’s support for the process will continue and added that the solution of the problem will be for the benefit of all parties.