Davutoglu: Now is the time for political will

There is no issue that has been discussed for as long as that of Cyprus, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said at a joint press conference  after the end of a meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu this afternoon. “Now is the time for political will”, he added.

Referring to efforts to reach a joint communiqué , the Turkish Foreign Minister called on the two leaders to reach an agreement on the joint communique and start the talks. He added that the statement itself  is not as as the willingness of the parties to solve the Cyprus problem.

Davutoglu also called on the international community not to forget that the Turkish Cypriots want a solution and expressed this will in 2004, referring to the convergences that had been achieved then.

Message is sent to the United Nations that Turkey can not accept an open-ended negotiation as long as the Turkish Cypriots’ isolation remains.

Davutoglu was due to meet with Foreign Minister Ozdil Nami and would leave for Turkey around midnight.

Government Spokesman says President has been vindicated

Davutoglu and Eroglu’s statements have blown up any possibility of relaunching a meaningful dialogue on the Cyprus issue, Government Spokesman Christos Stylianides said in a written statement today.

He said that the Turkish Cypriot leadership with the assistance of Turkey continue to adhere to extreme and uncompromising positions.

"Under these circumstances the President is not willing to enter into a dialogue for dialogue 's sake," he added, and called on the international community to help make the region finally a place of peace, stability and cooperation.

"The President of the Republic and the Greek Cypriot side will continue with the same constructive attitude, based on the resolutions of the UN, in the belief that cooperation and stability in the region is for the benefit of all the peoples of the region and particularly the Cypriot people as a whole, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots “, he said. He noted that over the last three months, the President and the Greek Cypriot side have fought to break the deadlock and to enter into process of substantive talks in Cyprus with a view to reaching an agreement.

He concluded by saying that the President’s position that there should be an absolutely clear basis for negotiation, one that is in harmony with the UN Security Council resolutions, has been vindicated, while at the same time justifying that to enter a dialogue without a specific basis, would only lead to a deadlock with unpredictable consequences for the prospect of a solution.