In exclusive comments to Londra, the second president of Turkish North Cyprus welcomes the new peace talks but warns it is too early to become hopeful
Mehmet Ali Talat, second president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
A FORMER Turkish Cypriot leader who enthusiastically backed the last Cyprus peace plan has voiced caution over fresh negotiations that started this week.
Mehmet Ali Talat said he was surprised by the United States’s vocal support for the new peace talks, which began on Tuesday after being suspended for nearly two years.
But he also said that while the latest effort needed to be supported, there was a difficult process facing the negotiating teams.
“The talks have been on hold for two years because of economic and political developments on the Greek side,” he told Londra Gazete on Wednesday afternoon.
“Western nations do not want the tension that would emerge if Turkish Cypriots are excluded from the natural gas fields that were found [off the coast of Cyprus] last year. They also believe the peace process will be an important motivation in helping the Greeks emerge from their economic crisis.
“Everyone needs to be supportive of the process at this stage.”
Mr Talat was prime minister of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus when the Annan Plan referendums were held in 2004. He opposed the veteran president Rauf Denktaş by supporting a yes vote and was instrumental in securing Turkish Cypriot approval of the then-UN secretary-general’s plan to reunite the island.
The plan was unsuccessful, however, because Greek Cypriots rejected it by an overwhelming majority. Mr Talat succeeded Denktaş as president the following year, remaining in office until 2010.
OPTIMISTIC MOOD
The former president said it was too early to expect the same feelings of optimism among Turkish Cypriots in response to the present round of talks.
“The talks were suspended because the Greek Cypriots needed more time,” he said.
“Today is the day of support. It would not be right to criticise from the start; we must support the peace process. But it is still too early for the optimistic atmosphere that we had before the Annan Plan referendum.”
