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When one party of a marriage is double faced it is easy to predict that this marriage is bound to end up in a divorce. Ehen both are double faced it is more than expected! Now if it is a three party marriage, anything is expected! Therefore, the South Cyprus three party coaltion was officially dissolved!

This of course is paving the way for the four AKEL ministers to resign after the coalition's final cabinet meeting. AKEL general-secretary Demetris Christofias announced the dissolution of the four and a half year partnership with Tassos Papadopoulos after a meeting in Lefkosa.

The demise of the coalition was inevitable ever since AKEL first announced that party members wanted Christofias to run in the February presidential elections. This was made final on Sunday.

It has also cemented Papadopoulos' candidacy, since ruling DIKO and socialist EDEK ruled out going forward in an alliance with Christofias as a tripartite candidate.

Papadopoulos is expected to announce his candidacy in the coming days. Speaking after yesterday's meeting with Papadopoulos and the other two party leaders, Christofias said it was regrettable that they did not support his own candidacy.

"Unfortunately the response to our proposal was negative... the president has taken his decisions and I am saddened by this development," he said.

However he said he respected their decision and pledged not to fight a dirty campaign. "We will not organise a war campaign against the President of the Republic or the parties participating in the government," Christofias said. He said AKEL had not regretted participating in the coalition and that the party had proposed its continuation with him as a candidate. "So, it is not us dissolving the cooperation," he added.

Christofias also confirmed that AKELs four ministers, Interior Minster NeoElis Sylikiotis, Transport Minster Harris Thrassou, Health Minster Charis Charalambous and Foreign Minister George Lillikas would be resigning from Papadopoulos' cabinet.

Asked specifically about Lillikas, who is technically not a member of 'old AKEL', Christofias said he believed 'he would resign but from there he did not know what course Lillikas would take.

The four ministers had lunch with Papadopoulos yesterday and will attend today's cabinet meeting, their last, where they will brief him on major outstanding projects.

Charalambous said Papadopoulos had not asked them for their resignation and had not escpressed any thoughts on who their successors might be. Thrassou also made a comment about the successful work of his ministry but Sylikiotis and Lillikas left without making statements.

Government Spokesman Vassilis Palmas said the government respected Christofias' decision to run for President and said it would create a new and interesting situation.

He also said the coalition had been a successful one and had left its mark on the political and social structure of the island. Asked what would be the chances of the coalition getting back together for a second round in the elections, he said it was too early to speculate.

"Of course in politics there are never any dead-ends. In a democracy there are never any deadlocks," he said. But DIKO leader Marios Karoyian, who with EDEK leader Yiannakis Omirou, is bitter about the break up, said that by the time a second round was reached, pre-election campaigning could seriously damage the alliance with bitterness and antagonism he did not think it could survive.

"We disagree with the General Secretary of AKEL, who on one hand wants the cooperation, of the three parties to continue and on the other wants to change it," he said. "In the end, this cooperation will be hurt and certainly in the second round it will be difficult to stick back all the pieces and repeat this process."

Asked about the reported differences between Papadopoulos and Christofias on the handling of the Cyprus issue, Karoyian said: "In politics hindsight is not advisable" and added that the AKEL leader was being unfair with regards to Papadopoullos's handling of some issues.

An equally bitter Omirou said he wondered why AKEL had waited so long before expressing its disagreement with Papadopoulos' handling of the political question. He said he was certain Papadopoulos would be re-elected by the people, even with¬out the support of AKEL, given that he had "handled the Cyprus problem in a nationally dignified manner".

Opposition DISY leader Nicos Anastassiades, whose party is running former Foreign Minister loannis Kasoulides as its candidate, hailed the coalition split as a "step forward".

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President Mehmet Ali Talat on Tuesday accepted a proposal by Tassos Papadopulos, the Greek Cypriot president, to meet and break the deadlock in reunification talks on the divided island. "I have the desire to meet with Papadopulos," said Talat, at a press conference in Lefkosa.

Greek and Turkish Cypriots agreed a year ago to start two tier negotiations - with technical committees tackling everyday concerns and working groups dealing with substantive issues - but there has been no movement since.

On Monday, Greek Cypriot government spokesman Vasilis Palmas said Papadopoulos had sent Talat a letter calling for a meeting "to try to advance the July 8 agreement."

Talat, while responding positively to the proposal by Papadopulos, said the issues between the two communities should be handled by both leaders and with permanency. "We are positive to meet but I don't think just one meeting with Papadopulos will help solve the problems. There are many measures that need to be taken to let this process become productive," Talat noted.

Talat declined to comment on the allegations that the latest proposal by Papadopulos has an internal political motive ahead of the upcoming presidential elections in southern Cyprus. "This is for the Greek Cypriot people and its press to think about," Talat replied to a question.

Meanwhile Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot government are closely monitoring the presidential election process in southern Cyprus and the candidates who were nominated by their parties so far. One of them, Dimitris Hristofyas, known to have a softer stance compared to Papadopulos, is also viewed in Ankara as an important development for the future of the Cyprus problem. "We are closely monitoring the discussions on the island. It is early to evaluate the situation but the possibility of Papadopulos failing in the elections would kick start a new process," a Turkish diplomat told on the condition of anonymity.

  - Embargoes on Turkish Cypriots date back to 1965

If you still think that the Cyprus problem began with the Turkish intervention on July 20, 1974, rest assured that it is a fantasy superior to "The Lord of the Rings."

Since that date the Turkish Cypriots and their unilaterally declared state, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC, have been considered legally invalid by UN member states, with Turkish Cypriots suffering under unjust political, economic, cultural, social, sporting and trade embargoes.

From Dec. 22, 1963 to July 20, 1974 -- 11 long years -- Turkish Cypriots were confined to an "open-air prison" by the Greek Cyprus government headed by Makarios: They were allowed no freedom of movement, no property or education rights and no normal life. No jobs, no money, no medicine, no milk, no water and no future.

I often wonder about those who say the Cyprus problem started after the Turkish intervention in 1974. This depiction is just a fairy tale and is often used to mislead people with minimal knowledge of the issue.

I am also perplexed by those who say there are no embargoes on the Turkish Cypriots. UN resolutions -- particularly No. 541 dated Nov. 18, 1983 -- restrict all kinds of international relations for the Turkish Cypriots, from direct flights to communi¬cation, from education to cultural, in all aspects of civilized life.

Since that date the Turkish Cypriots and their unilaterally declared state, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC), have been considered legally invalid by UN member states, with Turkish Cypriots suf¬fering under unjust political, economic, cul¬tural, social, sporting and trade embargoes.

Of course this was not the first time Turkish Cypriots were squeezed by embargoes for concessions from their freedoms and lives.

From Dec. 22, 1963 to July 20, 1974 -¬11 long years -- Turkish Cypriots were confined to an "open-air prison" by the Greek Cyprus government headed by Makarios: They were allowed no freedom of movement, no property or education rights and no normal life. No jobs, no money, no medicine, no milk, no water and no future.

On top of this inhumane treatment, from March 1, 1965 to July 20, 1974, the following so-called "strategic materials" were also banned by the Greek Cyprus government from delivery to the open-air prison.

The following list is copied from official documents of the Greek Cyprus government, published on March 1, 1965: "List of materials the import of which into Turkish Cypriot areas is prohibited"

The Cyprus Government has stated that the items listed below are considered to be restricted with effect 1 March 1965. The list may be changed at any time the Government of Cyprus wishes to do so. This list supersedes all previous lists issued

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The first meeting of the International Advisory Board (IAB) of the “Youth for the Alliance of Civilizations" initiative will be held in northern Cyprus in August following an invitation by Turkish Cypriot President Mehmet Ali Talat

In June, Talat appealed to the Islamic Conference Youth Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation (ICYF-DC) to host a meeting of the international advisory board in the northern part of the island.

ICYF-DC is a member based international institution affiliated to the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) headquartered at the Istanbul World Trade Center. ICYF-DC aims to coordinate youth policies in the OIC countries and promote dialogue between youth of the OIC countries and their counterparts worldwide.

After fruitful negotiations at the June meeting, ICYF-DC Secretary General Elshad Iskandarov expressed satisfaction with fostering the removal of unjust isolation of brotherly Turkish Cypriot people. He called for cooperation on the intellectual development of Turkish Cypriot youth and their involvement in the Forum's global projects.

The first meeting of the International Advisory Board (IAB) of the "Youth for the Alliance of Civilizations" initiative will be held in northern Cyprus in August following an invitation by Turkish Cypriot President Mehmet All Talat.

In June, Talat appealed to the Islamic Conference Youth Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation (ICYF-DC) to host a meeting of the international advisory board in the northern part of the island.

ICYF-DC is a member based international institution affiliated to the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) headquartered at the Istanbul World Trade Center. ICYF-DC aims to coordinate youth policies in the OIC countries and promote dialogue between youth of the OIC tries and their counterparts worldwide.

After fruitful negotiations at the June meeting, ICYF-DC Sec¬retary General Elshad Iskandarov expressed satisfaction with fostering the removal of unjust isolation of brotherly Turkish Cypriot people. He called for cooperation on the intellectual development of Turkish Cypriot youth and their involvement in the Forum's global projects.

According to Iskandarov, concrete actions by both the member states and the OIC institutions are now expected and required to this end. Both sides have expressed their eagerness to hold the August meeting, a decision that has great impact concerning northern Cyprus' promising further development.

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"The U.S. gave support to Turkey by keeping silent," said Inal Batu, a deputy candidate of Democrat Party (DP). Batu was working on the Cyprus issue in the Turkish foreign ministry at the time. Inal Batu insisted that the U.S. and the Soviet Union gave indirect support to Turkey without issuing an ultimatum. He also added that Washington did not send a second Johnson letter. Batu argued that the U.S. economic embargo was not against Turkey but in fact, applied to northern Cyprus.

The United States arms embargo against Turkey in 1975, after the military intervention into Cyprus in 1974, turned into a curtain of mystery recently with the publishing of internal reports by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) this week.

The archives supported the argument of the U.S. to gave military and economic aid to Turkey although Washington imposed an embargo against the country one year after the intervention.

According to the Web site of National Security Archive document dated Feb. 20, 1975 shows a memorandum of a conversation between Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Secretary of Defense James R. Schlesinger, and CIA Director William Colby among other officials. In the document, Kissinger refers to 'Turkey aid' as "illegal financial aid and arms support to Turkey" for the July 1974 Cyprus military intervention.

"U.S. sent Juo Sisco, deputy secretary of U.S. to Ankara after the intervention. At the time, Foreign Minister Turhan Gunes was returning from China and I was detaining Sisco," said Kaya Toperi to the TDN in a phone conversation.

Toperi agreed to the theory that keeping silence was a support. "If U.S. had given any support it would have been after the second military intervention since the first one was kept secret," said Kaya Toperi adding that Turkey faced with U.S. embargo after the operations are completed. On the ministry web page, the date of U.S. imposed arms embargo is announced as 1975 and states that it lasted until 1978. Since there was not any embargo until 1975, Kaya Toperi argued that if U.S. had given any support to Turkey, it was almost impossible for them to know. "Turhan Gunes and former Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit passed away. They were the only ones who might actually know what happened," said Toperi.

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Speaking during a visit paid to him today by European Journalists, President Talat evaluated the Cyprus situation.

Noting that the Turkish Cypriot people wanted the island to be united once again, the President of the Republic said 'political equality is of vital importance for the Turkish Cypriot people. I insisted that political equality be put into the Annan Plan, otherwise the Annan plan would have never been accepted by the Turkish Cypriot people.'Noting that the Greek Cypriot side was against the economic development of Northern Cyprus, President Talat said the Greek Cypriot side doesn't allow any Turkish Cypriot product that has a North Cyprus sticker on it, this is just unacceptable'.

Explaining that not enough EU countries knew about the Cyprus situation President Talat said from now on it was his aim to explain to new EU member states the Cyprus situation.

'Last time, when the 259 million Euro aid that was going to be made to the Turkish Cypriot people was being voted on in the European Council, South Cyprus and Greece voted against this, and other EU countries abstained, but I believe those countries didn't know enough about the Cyprus problem or what the Turkish Cypriot people had lived through,' he added.

Upon being reminded of the Greek Cypriot sides' rejection of the Annan Plan, President Talat said 'the Greek Cypriot side had said they rejected the Annan Plan because the Turkish Army was still going to stay on the island, but this is a lie. If they had accepted the Annan Plan only 650 Turkish soldiers were going to stay on the island and 950 Greek soldiers.

The Greek Cypriot side is continuing to lie to Europe and the world.'

Noting that half the soldiers of the South Cyprus army were made up of Greek soldiers, President Talat asked how come nobody is talking about this situation. Underling the tremendous mistake the European Union had made by accepting the unilateral membership of South Cyprus, President Mehmet Ali Talat concluded by saying, the European Union and the Greek Cypriot side had signed the accession treaty before the referendum of the Annan Plan'.

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The acting President - Speaker of the Republic's Assembly Fatma Ekenoglu has called on the Greek Cypriot Administration to cooperate with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in the fight against crime.

Pointing out that crimes, such as drug smuggling and human trafficking, do not recognize borders, Mrs Ekenoglu stressed the need for establishing cooperation between the TRNC and the Greek Cypriot Side to mount an effective campaign against crime.

Police Chief Gunay Ozan paid a courtesy visit to the Speaker of the Republic's Assembly Fatma Ekenoglu today as part of the events marking the 43rd anniversary of the establishment of the Police Organization.

Speaking during the visit, the Police Chief Gunay Ozan said that local crimes gained international dimension with the rapid development of technology.

Listing money laundering, human trafficking and sex trading among women as newly emerging crimes in the Republic, he said that the Turkish Cypriot police is cooperating with the Turkish Police Force in the training of police staff on crime prevention.

He also underlined the need to draft new bills that will make it possible to mount an effective campaign against crime.

For her part, the acting President - Speaker of the Parliament Fatma Ekenoglu expressed her sorrow over the. recent incidents in Guzelyurt and Gazimagusa and said that citizens must show respect for police.

Pointing out that crimes, such as drug smuggling and human trafficking, do not recognize borders, Mrs Ekenoglu called on the Greek Cypriot Side to cooperate in the fight against crime.

Stressing that crime prevention requires cooperation that goes beyond borders, Mrs Ekenoglu said 'we will not be able to capture criminals if the two sides do not cooperate in the struggle against crime'.

She noted that this is one of the issues she brought onto the agenda during her recent contacts abroad.

Reminding that the TRNC had in the past cooperated with Britain and some criminals had been captured, she said ' it is very hard for me to understand the logic behind the failure to establish cooperation with a place which can be reached on foot'.

Mrs Ekenoglu stressed that cooperation with the Greek Cypriot Side is necessary for the prevention of crimes.