Davutoglu: Cyprus issue is at a critical point

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu yesterday met with his Turkish Cypriot counterpart Ozdil Nami in Ankara. Speaking at a joint press conference following the meeting, Davutoglu said that Turkish and Greek Cypriot officials would have a meeting on November 4 to discuss the solution process regarding the island. Turkish and Greek ministers recently agreed on "indirect quartet meetings" of Greek Cypriot representatives in Ankara, and Turkish Cypriot representatives in Athens. Davutoglu said the first visit Turkish Cypriot representatives will pay to Athens in more than half a century will provide a platform for overcoming what he described as the "psychological threshold" in the Cyrus issue. "Turkey and the TRNC have been serious about this process but the same commitment has not been shown by the Greek side," Davutoglu said, adding that the Cyprus issue is at a critical point. For his part, Nami said, "Both sides should prepare their own peace plans before the end of the year and they should get their respective peoples discuss these plans and vote them in a referendum. This issue cannot be allowed to linger on."