TRNC News Today – 2nd May 2013
EROĞLU MET DOWNER
President Dervis Eroğlu met with the UN’s Secretary General’s Advisor to Cyprus Alexander Downer the previous day. Speaking to report
ers after the meeting Downer announced that he had invited both leaders and their wives to a dinner on 29th May at the official residence of the UN Special Representative Lisa Buttenheim.
Stating that he had given information to President Dervis Eroğlu with regard to his contacts in Ankara and Athens Downer said that both sides not only desired the launch of the negotiations but also the progress to be achieved in the negotiations.
Downer also expressed that he will be carrying out pre-studies that will be beneficial for the negotiation process, prior to the dinner.
EROĞLU: “WE SHALL TALK ABOUT WHEN THE NEGOTIATIONS LAUNCH AT THE DINNER”
President Eroğlu made statements to the press and answered the journalists’ questions after the meeting which lasted an hour with the UN Secretary General’s Special Advisor Alexander Downer.
Stating that he had a meaningful and useful meeting with Downer, Eroğlu said that Downer informed him about his visits to Atina and Ankara.
President Eroğlu stated that they would talk about when the negotiations will be launched at the dinner on Wednesday night 29th May and express their views about the continuation of the negotiations within a time limit and added that they will try to reach a consensus.
Stating that reaching a result for the negotiations is their priority Eroğlu continued as: 
“There are other alternatives if a result cannot be reached and if the Greek Cypriot Administration has no intention of agreement. These alternatives will come on the agenda. Therefore both ours and Turkey’s first aim is the launch of the negotiations and to reach an agreement on the table”.
Expressing that from the beginning he had an idea of meeting with Anastasiadis in a social environment, Eroğlu said that coming together with their wives on 29th May has become certain. Eroğlu stated that they will try to determine a road map for the talks during the social meeting.
Stating that he has an idea of setting a time limit and realizing the quartet and quintet summit following the negotiations Eroğlu continued: “As you know, the negotiations have been continuing since 1968 and have continued open-ended up to now. As we said to Downer, if the negotiations continue in the same way, they might continue for 40 years more, generations change and today’s environment become permanent. We simply expressed to Downer that while opinions about the change of the status quo are clear we have to complete these negotiations”.
Stating that he was looking forward to 29th May and might have a phone call with Anastasiadis, Eroğlu said that he was aware of the difficulties. While Anastasiadis has been a leader who got a high rate of votes in the elections, now his popularity is diminishing because of the crisis in the South.
Expressing that he hopes Anastasiadis’s popularity increases Eroğlu hopes that they can continue the negotiations more peacefully and reliably.
Responding to a question, Eroğlu said that the Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister was talking too much and that his statements were hurting the negotiation process.
Upon being asked questions regarding the Davutoglu/Downer meeting Eroğlu expressed that the TRNC is always in co-operation with the TR Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
LABOR AND SPRING DAY MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT EROĞLU
President Derviş Eroğlu has issued a message through the Presidency Press Office to mark the 1st of May Labor and Spring Day.
The President said: “Cyprus Turkish labour remains to be one of the fundamental factors of our state mechanism which regulates our rights and responsibilities and provides us with work, food, security and various other services.”
In his Labor and Spring Day message, President Eroğlu indicated: “I wish happiness and health to our workers and people with such feelings and thoughts and I congratulate their 1st of May International Labor day.”
PRESIDENT EROĞLU RECEIVED ISRAELI AMBASSADOR
The Israeli Ambassador to South Cyprus, Michael Harari, held a meeting with President Derviş Eroğlu at the Presidential Palace.
The President’s Undersecretary, Hasan Güngör, and Special Representative and Spokesman, Osman Ertuğ, were also present at the meeting which took place at the Presidential Palace. No statement was made after the meeting.
LABOR AND SPRING DAY MESSAGE FROM PRIME MINISTER KUCUK
In his message issued on the 1st of May Labor and Spring 
Day, Prime Minister İrsen Küçük has said that his government continues to stand by the side of all those who work and produce.
Prime Minister İrsen Küçük said: “1st of May Labor and Spring Day will be celebrated as a day of friendship and solidarity in our country. I wish that this day will be a beautiful day without any conflict of classes.”
LOSS OF CONFIDENCE IN SOUTH CYPRUS FOR EUROPE
According to the Greek Cypriot newspaper Alithia the economic reliability research conducted by ‘Gallup’ in 108 countries, it was published that South Cyprus’s confidence in Europe regarding economic reliability has decreased by 60 points in 2012 compared to 2009.
The newspaper published that the economic situation in the Greek Cypriot side is dramatically getting worse in the Economic Conjuncture Indicator (ECI) research conducted by “Cyprus University Economic Research Center”.
According to the news, ECI has declined by 15.8 points in April compared to March. This was caused by the environment which is getting worse among all sectors and consumers and it was stated that the major decline of reliability was realized among the service sector, retail trade and consumers.
CONTACTS OF DOWNER AND NEGOTIATION PROCESS
UN Secretary General’s Special Advisor to Cyprus, Alexander Downer, met with TRNC President, Dr. Derviş Eroğlu, and leader of Greek Cypriot Administration, Nikos Anastasiadis, separately the day before yesterday.
It was stated that Anastasiadis has not found what he expected in the message to be conveyed by Downer who met with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu in Ankara.
The Greek Cypriot daily Politis stated that Ahmet Davutoğlu has a negative attitude towards the proposals of the Greek Cypriot side to the Cyprus problem and added that 
Downer forwarded the message to Anastasiadis from Ankara that the Turkish side did not agree with neither the negotiation of confidence building measures in the coming months nor the Greek side’s thesis of well preparing the ground before the start of the negotiations.
According to the news, during the meeting with Anastasiadis and Greek Cypriot Foreign Affairs Minister at the Greek Cypriot Leadership Palace, Downer underlined the insistence of Turkish Foreign Affairs Minister, Ahmet Davutoğlu, on the re-launching of the negotiation process as soon as possible.
The newspaper stated that Anastasiadis told Downer that he had no intention or possibility to participate in the negotiations in the near future and asked him “This is not the right time for a happy ending in the negotiations. Is a new failure in the Cyprus problem demanded? ”.
The newspaper added: “Within this framework, Anastasiadis reiterated his requests on improving the situation by negotiating the confidence building measures and on changing of preliminary preparations and negotiation procedure. The Australian diplomat, who has the task of forwarding the message of Anastasiadis to Ankara, will come to Cyprus again in May. It was also stated that Lisa Buttenheim will host a dinner to the leaders and their wives on 29th May and this dinner will create a possibility for negotiating the steps to be taken in the future.”
DOWNER: “FACTS RELATED WITH THE NEGOTIATIONS WILL CONTINUE GRADUALLY”
The UN Secretary General’s Special Advisor to Cyprus, Alexander Downer, made a statement following the meeting with the leader of Greek Cypriot administration, Anastasiadis, and said “the facts concerning the negotiations on the Cyprus problem will continue gradually but everyone should empathize the challenges of Greek Cypriots because of the economic situation.
Pointing out that the dinner to be hosted by Lisa Buttenheim on 29th May at her residence was almost clear, Downer stated that he informed Anastasiadis about his contacts in Athens and Ankara. Downer added:
“I met with the Foreign Affairs Ministers and other authorities in Athens and Ankara. The meetings with both Foreign Ministers were fruitful. 
They understand the economic situation in Cyprus. Both countries are bound to see a solution through negotiations in Cyprus. We had fruitful meetings; therefore I was able to take many observations from my visits to Anastasiadis.”
Replying whether a message was forwarded to Anastasiadis from Turkey or not, Downer said “different things were expressed in Ankara, I conveyed these, I hope it will be a part of the dynamic”. Replying to the question whether the issue concerning natural gas was negotiated or not, he said “the news that in Ankara I discussed the issue of pipelines via Turkey is not true”.
EXPECTATIONS OF SOUTH CYPRUS AND GREEK CYPRIOTS HAVE NOT COME TRUE
Greek Cypriot daily Politis stated that the Greek Cypriot administration and the people made great investments in the EU membership; however their expectations have not come true because of the “heartlessness” of Troika, Euro Group and some EU member states.
The newspaper narrated the statement made by DIKO, the partner of Anastasiadis’ government, in connection with the 9th anniversary of South Cyprus’ s membership to the EU.
DİKO stated that although the expectations of South Cyprus and the Greek Cypriot people have not come true, South Cyprus, as the full and equal member of the EU, continues to believe in the proclaimed principles of the EU and they will carry on to struggle for the predominance of solidarity of the Union and equality principles between member states in practice.
On the other hand, in the statement released from “Tasos Papadopoulos Research Center”, it was stated that the EU membership of South Cyprus is the biggest success of Greek Cypriot people, today’s economic situation should not mislead the direction of South Cyprus’s physical progression in the EU and should not bring this great success of the Greek Cypriot people under question.
ARCHBISHOP CHRYISOSTOMOS ASKS DOWNER TO RESIGN
Reactions to the meeting of the UN Secretary General’s Special Adviser, Alexander Downer, with TRNC Minister of Foreign Affairs, Huseyin Özgürgün, at his office within the 
framework of his contacts in the island are continuing. After the Greek Cypriot Administration, this time, Archbishop Chrysostomos has stepped in and has asked Downer to resign.
Chrysostomos demanded the Greek Cypriot Administration to take initiatives so that Downer will be dismissed as he did not act on the basis of the UN law principles.
The Archbishop said that: “If the negotiations are not on the basis of a federation, the government should withdraw because this will also be condemned to failure as it has been for 40 years”.
Under the headline “Archbishop asks Downer’s resignation… The head of the Cyprus Church has spilled out hatred against Downer” the Greek Cypriot newspaper Simerini wrote that Chrysostomos was very furious about Downer’s recent reactions and behaviours and also called for Anastasiadis’s Administration not to attend the negotiations if they are not based on a federation.
“If he does not resign he should be fired”
Greek Cypriot newspaper Fileleftheros published the news under the headlines: “Downer wants Turkey and Greece to Get Involved ….. A Change of Route after the Consensus of Anglo Americans… Downer is in Lefkosa again for the Negotiations …Archbishop: “Either he resigns or the administration fires him”
Publishing that the UN shows great importance on Downer’s meeting with Davutoglu which will be held today, Fileleftheros wrote that according to the obtained information Downer will ask for help from Ankara by taking the recent developments about the Cyprus problem into their consideration in the light of the economic crisis in the Greek Cypriot side.
According to the newspaper Downer has a project to involve Turkey and Greece also in the Cyprus problem either through a procedure or by means of intervention into the negotiations.
Source: TRNC Public Information Office
