TRNC News Today – 1st April 2013 

KÜÇÜK: “CONTINUATION OF INTOLERANCE IN SOUTH CYPRUS SHOWS THAT PEACE, AND AN AGREEMENT IS FAR AWAY”

TRNC Prime Minister Irsen Küçük made a statement concerning the burning of the Turkish flag in South Cyprus and said “continuation of intolerances in the Greek Cypriot community shows that peace and  an agreement is far away. They have to behave more carefully on these subjects”.

Prime Minister Küçük replied to questions of the press in the festival organized in Yiğitler village.

Küçük emphasized that Greek Cypriots should improve their relations with Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and Turkey in order to overcome the crisis.

Stating that the economic crisis in South Cyprus will not seriously affect TRNC because TRNC has a strong banking structure and economy, Küçük emphasized that Greek Cypriot administration should give up its previous attitudes in the relations with TRNC besides the measures to be taken in order to overcome the crisis.

Küçük said “the relations with North and South Cyprus should become more positive”.

Prime Minister Küçük stated that the hydrocarbon in the island and the pipeline for water being constructed between Turkey and TRNC are great economic developments and to use those opportunities together with the Greek Cypriots, a settlement is a must.

Also touching upon the burning of the Turkish flag in South Cyprus, Mr. Küçük said this incident has once again shown the Greek Cypriot side’s intolerance towards the Turkish nation and their transigence against a settlement.

EGEMEN BAGIS: “I BELIEVE THAT GREEK CYPRIOT ADMINISTRATION SHALL PUNISH THOSE WHO ARE GUILTY”

Turkey has reacted harshly to the burning of the Turkish flag in South Cyprus. Turkish Minister for EU and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bağış made harsh statements regarding the burning of the Turkish flag during a Justice and Development Party district meeting in Pendik. He said that someone had the nerve to burn the Turkish flag and then called on the Greek Cypriot administration to find those who committed a crime and punish them as soon as possible.

‘You should respect the flag because if you were to touch the flag you would be paralyzed’ said Bağış.

Explaining that the Turkish flag has a part in the food and the water consumed by the Greek Cypriot administration, Bağış called on the Greek Cypriot administration not to forget that Turkey is a great nation and when the time comes it could make a grand gesture or it could set the terms in a scathing manner.

Bagış said that Nikos Anastasiadis put forward an attitude towards a solution and said ‘yes ‘ to the Annan Plan and reminded that he was elected as the president, Bagis added : “this incident is a provocation by those who want to prevent the Cyprus solution process. Thus I believe that the Greek Cypriot Administration shall be delicate towards this issue and punish those who are guilty.”

DAVUTOĞLU: “TURKEY SHALL NOT ALLOW A PROCEDURE WHICH SHALL CONTROL THE COMMON FUTURE OF CYPRUS”

Indicating that Turkey would not keep quiet against this situation Davutoglu said that there are three options: the immediate resumption of talks for a comprehensive political settlement between the Turkish and Greek Cypriots within a set timeframe; or if this were to fail, the establishment of a joint committee of Turkish and Greek Cypriot representatives to decide on how to share the hydrocarbon reserves between the two communities in the absence of a political settlement; and finally a two-state solution that would mean permanent partition of the island.

Davutoglu said that if the Greek Cypriot Administration claims to be the owner of the natural resources in the south Cyprus then the TRNC has the right to own the resources in the North. Davutoglu said : “Turkey shall not allow a procedure which shall control the common future of Cyprus”

FOREIGN MINISTER OZGURGUN CRITICISES BURNING OF TURKISH FLAG IN THE SOUTH

The Minister of Foreign Affairs Huseyin Ozgurgun criticised the burning of the Turkish flag in South Cyprus and said ‘ This event can not be accepted because it is a proof of Greek Cypriot side’s racism and unreasonable hostility towards the Turkish Cypriots.

According to the statement of the Press Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it was stated that Greek Cypriot leadership has inspired hostility to their people for the Turkish Cypriots and motherland Turkey for years, and this event is a proof of Greek Cypriot hostility. Ozgurgun also added that Greek Cypriots proved once more that their mentality is the main reason of the deadlock in Cyprus.

‘I want to remind them that we, as the Turkish Cypriot side are always ready for a solution and mutual respect with the Greek Cypriots but we cannot tolerate unfair attacks which create a confidence crisis and will not remain unresponsive for such events’ Ozgurgun added.

MINISTER OF FINANCE ERSIN TATAR:” NO PROBLEM FOR BRITISH AND RUSSIAN CITIZENS LIVING IN SOUTH CYPRUS TO SETTLE IN TRNC”

Minister of Finance Ersin Tatar invited the British and Russian citizens who are suffering from the economic crisis in South Cyprus to come to the TRNC. Tatar said that: “There is no problem for the British and Russian citizens, who are living in  South Cyprus and looking for a peaceful country to settle in such as  the TRNC, and own a property or open a bank account”.

Tatar in his evaluation made to AA reporter, said that the TRNC should also take a lesson from the economic crisis experienced in South Cyprus and added that increasing trust and stability in the county is developing depending on tourism, education, agriculture and energy projects done with Turkey.

Stating that, “Cyprus can sink, but the side that has sunk is South Cyprus. The TRNC has become the element of stability in the Mediterranean with the support of Turkey; Tatar invited the British and Russian citizens living in South Cyprus to make investments in the TRNC.

Stating that there are now 10 thousand British citizens and 3 thousand Russian citizens in the TRNC, Tatar mentioned that “The British and Russian citizens living in the South can also settle in the TRNC. This would  be to the advantage of the Turkish Cypriots. They can also transfer their retirement salary to North Cyprus and they can help our economy. There is no problem for the British and Russian citizens who are living in South Cyprus and looking for a peaceful country to settle in such as the TRNC, and own a property or open a bank account”.

Stressing that the banking sector in the TRNC is well-grounded, Tatar said that foreign investors can easily transfer their money to the banks in the TRNC. Tatar stated that there is an atmosphere of trust and stability which has been created in the TRNC economy since 2001 with the help and co-operation of  Turkey.

AYHATUN ATEŞİN IN ‘WORLD PEACE’ EVENT

Turkish Cypriot Artist Ayhatun Ateşin participated in an exhibition in America which was organised for ‘World Peace’. Ateşin participated with her work which she named ‘Silent Walk’. The curator of the exhibition is Feride Demircan Comen and 23 artists from Turkey, Germany, Pakistan, Norway, India, China, Brasil, Italy, Egypt, Spain, Ukraine, Russia, Sweden, Romania, America and TRNC participated. The works of the artists will be presented in some other exhibitions in USA.

Source: TRNC Public Information Office