TRNC News Today – 5th April 2013

FOREIGN MINISTER OZGURGUN: “GREEK CYPRIOTS’ PRIORITY IS NOT NEGOTIATIONS”

Minister of Foreign Affairs Huseyin Özgürgün has stated that the most important reason for  the Cyprus problem being out of the South Cyprus agenda is the economic crisis.

According to the statement made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Özgürgün answered the questions of the diplomacy correspondents and other journalists at Limak Ambassador Hotel in Ankara.  

Özgürgün said that Anastasiadis uses the economic crisis as a reason to avoid reunification talks and added “The economic crisis has increased fanaticism among Greek Cypriots. The burning of the Turkish flag is an outcome of that.” Özgürgün also said that leader of the Greek Cypriot Administration Nikos Anastasiadis has been facing many difficulties and his family has also been involved in some issues.    However, reunification could boost the prosperity of the island, bringing the number of tourists to more than 5 million, Özgürgün said. He noted the electricity trade between the Turkish side and the Greek side and the water transported from Turkey to the north of Cyprus, saying that the economic profitability of Cyprus would be enhanced by the co-operation of both sides. He added that water from Turkey would be ‘peace water‘ and could bring a solution to the island.

Özgürgün also added that Turkish Cypriot side has approved all of the solution plans put forward until today, however, the Greek Cypriot side was unwilling to resolve the problem.

Stressing that those negotiations would not continue forever, Özgürgün added that a two-state solution was unavoidable.

DAVUTOĞLU MEETS ASHTON

Mr. Ahmet Davutoğlu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey met with Mrs. Catherine Ashton, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission on April 3, 2013. Foreign Minister Davutoğlu and High Representative Ashton discussed in detail Turkey – EU relations in the light of latest developments concerning the opening of new chapters. Issues concerning visa exemption and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership which is still under negotiation between the U.S. and the EU were also addressed at the meeting. Foreign Minister Davutoğlu said that Turkey and the EU have agreed that the current atmosphere which occurred after the Presidential elections in South Cyprus is a ‘window of opportunity’ to solve the Cyprus problem.

Moreover, adding that he discussed Turkey’s attitude regarding the decision of the Greek Cypriot Parliament taken on the issue of natural resources, Davutoglu said ‘it is time to speed up the negotiations to reach a permanent, comprehensive solution in Cyprus. Turkey is ready to make all kinds of contributions on that issue. Turkey’s attitude is very clear and it is not possible to accept any change in the basic parameters of solution’.

ŞIMŞEK: “WE ARE ANXIOUS ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENTS IN  SOUTH CYPRUS”

Turkish Minister of Finance Mehmet Şimşek stated that the economic crisis in South Cyprus creates anxiety for Turkey as they want powerful, stable and prosperous neighbors. Minister Şimşek made a presentation at the conference organized by Euro Finance and responded to a question about South Cyprus as ‘the biggest help we can make to South Cyprus is carry Cyprus to a two state, bi-communal solution which was the offer of the UN in 2004. There is a water problem in Cyprus and now we are constructing a dam in  North Cyprus to transport water from Turkey’.

Responding to another question about the national resources in Cyprus, Şimşek said it is not fair to take out the gas unilaterally and if the Greek Cypriot side is planning do that how would they transfer it to Europe?, they need to transfer it via Turkey so they need to get along with the Turkish Cypriot side.

MICHAEL MOLLER: “ECONOMIC CRISIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A SOLUTION”

According to the Greek Cypriot Newspaper Filelefteros, former UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Cyprus, Michael Moller, published an article in New York Times Newspaper and said that it is time for a solid, united and active European policy and commitment to the reunification of the island based on a clear and shared conviction that it is in everyone’s vital interest.

Stating that a new reality has now imposed itself on the Greek Cypriots he added that the situation is dire and the immediate future does not look encouraging unless imaginative solutions are found and also Moller underlined in his article that Greece’s economic woes have changed its priorities. Its orientation is firmly anchored in Europe, and it is a steadfast supporter of Turkish accession to the European Union. At the same time, the high price that South Cyprus is now paying for its past symbiotic financial relationship with Greece may affect their future relationship.

Moller pointed out that Cyprus has plenty of assets such as geographical location, natural resources, a well-educated population and infrastructure which may take the attention of the international community in the long term.

ALVAREZ & MARSAL’S REPORT ON  CYPRUS BANK

The report prepared by the American institution named ‘Alvarez & Marsal about the reasons of suffering of “Laiki and Cyprus” Banks operating in South Cyprus related to the investments in Cyprus Banks and Greek bonds was infiltrated the press.

Greek Cypriot Fileleftheros newspaper under the headline “The puzzle of Disaster” published that in Alvarez & Marsal’s report there were “inconsistencies, absentees, negligence, risk above the limits and the procedures leading to many questions.” 

According to Alvarez, the newspaper wrote that the authorized committees in the banks allowed the pay limits to go up to 6 billion Euros without providing any documents and stated that this decision has led to buying of Greek bonds.

Publishing that in Alvarez & Marsal’s report some documents were deleted on the computer of two executives of Cyprus Bank, the newspaper wrote that these deleted documents were related to the years (2009-2010) that Alvarez & Marsal was investigating.

POLICE PROTECT ISRAELI TOURISTS

It was reported that the Greek Cypriot Police protected Israeli tourists in South Cyprus due to the arrest of a Lebanese, member of Hezbollah who was preparing a terror attack plan in Limassol and the blowing up of a bus in Bulgaria.

Greek Cypriot newspaper Fileleftheros wrote that the three buses carrying Israeli tourists that came to the Greek side from Israel by ship, were protected by the Greek Cypriot Police Flying Squad for the whole day in South Nicosia.

Source: TRNC Public Information Office