Congratulating Eroglu, Gul and Erdogan reiterate Turkey's supoort for Cyprus peace talks

Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Dervis Eroglu, running for the right-wing National Unity Party (UBP), yesterday won the TRNC's presidential elections. In a congratulatory message to the TRNC's third president, President Abdullah Gul said both Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots want the ongoing talks on the Cyprus issue to achieve a just and lasting solution. "Turkey will continue to support the will of the Turkish Cypriot people for the success of the talks. I have the full belief that TRNC will be stronger and more prosperous and integrate with the international community during your term in office," Gul said. As the motherland and guarantor country, Turkey will continue to fulfill its responsibilities to assist the rightful cause of the Turkish Cypriot people to achieve their goals, he added. Gul also expressed his belief that Eroglu would maintain UN-led negotiations for a solution on the island with the same dynamism and constructive approach that have been shown so far and do all he can to conclude the talks as quickly as possible. "You will always feel Turkey's determined support and close cooperation for the security, welfare and peace of the Turkish Cypriot people and to protect the legal rights of Turkish Cypriots as equal owners of the island," Gul underlined. Commenting on the election results, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey would continue to back the settlement talks on Cyprus, urging Eroglu to conduct the talks with the same determination as his predecessor. Erdogan added that he would like to see the Cyprus issue resolved by year's-end, as the issue's persistence bothers both sides. Erdogan also said Greek Premier George Papandreou's stance on the Cyprus issue is positive. Eroglu vowed to carry on the settlement talks with Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias, expressing hope to solve the issue within a clear timeframe.