TRNC News Today 17th JULY 2013
EROĞLU: “GEOGRAPHY OF TRNC STATE WAS DRAWN BY PEACE OPERATION”
Stating that the geography of the TRNC State was drawn by the Peace Operation, President Dervis Eroğlu said that the Turkish Cypriot people are happy to live freely under the roof this State.
Eroğlu visited the Turkish Peace Forces Veterans Association, Gazimagusa Branch where he was presented with a document of ‘Honorary President’.
Recording that having a State is the holiest and real possession, Eroğlu expressed that 
there might be some problems and difficulties within the State. Stating that today we owe our peace and security to Turkey, Eroğlu said: “If we had not realized the Peace Operation with motherland Turkey, today there would not have been any Turks”.
Repeating that the Cyprus issue has no side that has not been discussed or negotiated, President Eroğlu emphasized that the negotiations cannot continue forever in an open-ended way and the negotiations that are expected to start in October are the last chance for a solution.
President Eroğlu said that even if the world countries do not recognize the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus they know that the State of the TRNC exists.
President Eroğlu added: “The European Union is imposing embargoes on us, but it knows that people are living here freely and have a State even if it does not recognize. There is lack of an agreement or if there will not be any agreement there is a lack of recognition”.
Pointing out that the negotiations have been continuing since 1968, Eroğlu expressed that the negotiations cannot continue forever as the Turkish Cypriots are out of patience.
President Eroğlu continued: “What we desire from the new leader Anastasiadis is to solve this problem in 1, 2 or 5 years. If they have an intention, the problem can be solved”.
President Eroğlu stated that if the Greek Cypriots act with an idea as if: ‘I am the member of the EU, I am the Republic of Cyprus and the world recognizes me. I put an obstacle to Turkey in joining the EU’ then the chance will be missed.
Eroğlu stated: “If we reach an agreement with negotiations starting in October, the Cyprus issue will be solved. If not, the current realities will continue”.
Stating that the Turkish Cypriot people never give up the full and effective guarantee of Turkey, Eroğlu added:“Guarantee of the EU does not interest us because no one except Turks sends his sons to war or give their life to protect the Turkish Cypriots”.
President Eroğlu noted that the full and effective guarantee of Turkey is a must and the realities on the island should be taken into account with a possible solution.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER ERK: “WE GIVE IMPORTANCE TO CITY DIPLOMACY AS MUCH AS POLITICAL, CITIZEN AND CIVIL SOCIETY DIPLOMACY”
Stating that his Ministry gives importance to memberships that the local governments established in the international arena, Foreign Affairs Minister, Kutlay Erk, stressed that he gives importance to the city diplomacy as much as political, citizen and civil society diplomacy.
Speaking during his visit to Girne Municipality, Foreign Affairs Minister, Kutlay Erk, pointed out that any kind of foreign represen
tation of a country under economic and political isolations has an importance. Erk added that Turkish Cypriots have problems with regard to becoming popular in the outer world and expressing their stance about the Cyprus problem.
Stating that the Ministry needs to use this limited possibility to the maximum and there are works to do through representation, Erk recorded that the connections and works that shall be made by the local governments at their capacity will make this stronger.
Adding that the places that cannot be reached by the Ministry due to the political isolations, can be reached within the context of local government city diplomacy, Minister Erk said he had meetings with three big Municipalities; Lefkosa, Gazimagusa and Girne within this context.
GREEK CYPRIOT NEGOTIATOR IS MAVROYANNIS
Andreas Mavroyannis has become the Greek Cypriot negotiator for the Cyprus problem officially.
According to the Greek Cypriot radio, Andreas Mavroyannis was determined to be the Greek Cypriot negotiator for the Cyprus problem following the meeting of Greek Cypriot 
National Council held yesterday.
According to the news, a spokesperson of the Greek Cypriot government, Christos Stilianidis, made a statement following the meeting of the Greek Cypriot National Council and stated that the decision of appointment of Mavroyannis was decided unanimously by the representatives of the parties except the Greek Cypriot Ecologists and Environmentalists who remained as abstained.
On the other hand, the Turkish Cypriot side keeps a close watch on this attempt of the Greek Cypriot side. A senior official told Turkish daily Milliyet that “Greek Cypriots had a negotiator before. Now, Mavroyannis is appointed to the vacant seat”.
Explaining that the mission of the UN Secretary General is such that “two leaders execute the negotiations”, the senior official says “Presently, Special Representative of TRNC President Dr. Derviş Eroğlu is Osman Ertuğ. Osman Ertuğ and Mavroyannis will carry on the process. If necessary, the leaders will take part in the process”.
GIRNE AND BUCHAREST MUNICIPALITIES REALIZED FIRST COMMON ACTIVITY
Girne Municipality and Romania – Bucharest 4th Region Municipality held the first phase of the student exchange program within the framework of the protocol signed as the ‘brother city’
According to the statement made by Girne Municipality,
the student exchange program has been agreed with the participation of 5 instructors and 20 students between the ages of 13-18 from Romania.
The delegation visited historical cultural and touristic places in the country and have found the opportunity to learn the Turkish Cypriot Culture during 10 days in the TRNC.
The second phase of the exchange program will continue with the visit of students between the ages of 13-18 from Girne to Romania on 21st July.
Source: TRNC Public Information Office
