Buluc: Turkey’s Getting Support Of United States On Cyprus Issue Is Important

Buluc said, ”it is a strategic issue of the United States. Cyprus issue is also a strategic issue of Turkey with respect to ensuring security of Turkish Cypriot people in Cyprus. Turkey can take up its strategic issue with the United States, since the country considers the United States a strategic partner. Therefore, strategic partners can discuss their strategic issues.”
Buluc said, ”Turkey has always explained in its contacts with the U.S. that it attributed importance not to confront with results which we did not expect regarding Cyprus issue, while it approached developments about Iraq in line with its national interests. In that respect, Turkey’s getting the support of the U.S. is important and natural. Therefore, there is such a connection between Cyprus and Iraq issues.”
Upon a question, Buluc reminded that Cyprus negotiations were carried out within the scope of Annan plan, adding that ”U.S. is a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council. Permanent members have special importance and influence regarding the decisions taken or to be taken in U.N. Security Council.”
Buluc said that ”therefore, it is normal for us to continue attributing importance to U.S. regarding the Cyprus issue. The U.S. has not shown any hesitation to that. On the contrary, Thomas Weston, the special representative of the U.S. frequently visits Turkey.”

IF THERE ARE ANY NEW POINTS ON WHICH CONSENSUS IS REACHED, IT IS NATURAL TO EXPECT THEIR BEING REFLECTED TO PLAN
Buluc said that guarantor states on Cyprus needed to reach an agreement among themselves in some points of Annan Plan concerning security and guarantees.
Upon a question in a weekly press briefing, Buluc said that there was a part in Annan Plan concerning security and guarantee and he added that guarantor states in Cyprus needed to reach an agreement among themselves on those items.
Noting that guarantor states had to fix some agreements with their authorities gained by 1960 agreement, Buluc said that Turkey and Greece had not started such a negotiation yet.
When recalled the claims that the United Nations would present a new plan to sides in Cyprus on February 25, Buluc said that he could not confirm a third plan’s existence.
Buluc recalled that negotiations were continuing and said that if there were any new points on which consensus was reached on views which were put forward during the negotiations, it would be natural to expect their being reflected to the solution plan. He added that if that situation required a third plan, it should also be considered natural.