Northern Cyprus rejects ‘confidence-building measures’ by Greek Cypriot side

By Seda Sevencan

ISTANBUL (AA) – The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on Tuesday rejected so-called confidence-building measures by the Greek Cypriot administration.

In a statement, the Presidency of the TRNC said that following a weekly evaluation and coordination meeting on May 20, Menelaos Menelaou, the Greek Cypriot negotiator for the Cyprus problem, gave a letter from Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Anastasiadis to M. Ergun Olgun, the TRNC president's special representative, to be forwarded to TRNC President Ersin Tatar.

The statement said the so-called confidence-building measure (CBM) proposals referred to in the letter are nothing but an attempt to create an impression and to spread the authority of the Greek Cypriot side to the entire island.

“Therefore, these so-called CBM proposals were rejected in accordance with our previous statements."

Emphasizing that the steps to build trust between the two sides can only be discussed on the basis of new, creative and realistic proposals that will provide equal benefits based on the vested rights of the two sides, defined as "sovereign equality and equal status," it stated that the Greek Cypriot side did not do this.

The statement went on to say that by using the status the Greek Cypriot side is abusing with the claim of being the sole ruler of Cyprus, it continues to prevent the Turkish Cypriots from accessing the international community in all areas and on the other hand tries to convince the relevant circles that it is trying to build trust, adding that “this situation is simply insincerity.”