TRNC News Today 25th November 2013

PRESIDENT EROĞLU: ‘ WE CAN CONTINUE NEGOTIATIONS WITHOUT A JOINT STATEMENT’

 President Derviş Eroğlu said regarding the meeting to be held today with Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Anastasiadis ‘The Turkish Cypriot side will work with a good will for a joint statement but parameters are clear. If we do not reach a settlement, we can continue negotiations without a joint statement’.

 Reminding that long discussions have been made for a joint statement, President Eroğlu said ‘I will meet with Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Anastasiadis today. We will try to determine a strategy and remove the obstacles towards a joint statement.  We, as the Turkish Cypriot side, will also try to put forth our strategy to found a State depending on bicommunality, bizonality and equality’.

Moreover, stressing the importance of the two constituent States, President Eroğlu said that the Turkish Cypriot people are tired of having to think about their future which is the worst thing for a community and underlined ‘if the world is fair, sides sit at the negotiation table, try to reach a settlement within 3 months, otherwise a new evaluation can be made’.

CO-OPERATION PROTOCOL BETWEEN FOREIGN MINISTRY AND OIC

It was stated that a co-operation protocol was signed between the TRNC Ministry of Foreign Affairs and The Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC).

The protocol which was signed on Friday 22nd November  by the Minister of Foreign Affairs – Mr. Özdil Nami and The Organization for Islamic Co-operation Secretary General – Professor Doctor Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu includes co-operation on education, science and technology, health, tourism and trade amongst other things.

Following the signing ceremony organised at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, FM Nami made a speech in which he expressed his satisfaction for the co-operation protocol. Nami also stressed that studies held between the Turkish Cypriot people and the Islamic World were very important in order to announce a just case of the Turkish Cypriots to the world.

Moreover, The OIC Secretary General – Professor Doctor Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu pointed out that studies which have been continuing for a long time have been crowned by the co-operation protocol and the current relations between the TRNC and OIC will be strengthened much more.

Adding that the Organization of Islamic Co-operation will always support the just case of the Turkish Cypriots, Ihsanoglu stressed that the international community applied double standards but they would continue to support the Turkish Cypriots.

NAMI WILL ATTEND THE MEETING OF ECO IN TEHRAN

TRNC Foreign Affairs Minister – Özdil Nami will attend the 21st Meeting of the Council of Ministers (COM) of the Economic Co-operation Organization (ECO) in Tehran, Iran, on Tuesday.

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is the observer member of ECO. 

NAMİ: “WE ARE CLOSE TO THE END FOR A JOINT STATEMENT”

Delivering a speech during the budget meetings, Foreign Minister Nami recorded that the Turkish Cypriots did not accept the transformation of the Republic of Cyprus by evolution and the case was just like it was in the Annan Plan. Nami added: “The new State will not be formed by changing the constitution of the Republic of Cyprus. It will be formed by holding separate referenda’.

Nami expressed that it would be wrong to say that negotiations have been held in order to seem pretty because they were making studies to integrate the people with the world.

Moreover, stating that they are close to the end for a joint statement, Nami expressed that the leaders would meet today and they might overcome some differences.

Expressing that the Foreign Affairs Ministry will try its best to help the President and the Government will be the active follower of the process, Nami said: “The Foreign Ministry has not made a separate statement regarding KOP. The Prime Minister has made a statement. This is not an agreement which will be turned down. We have experienced that an opportunity can be created for our sports community to overcome the difficulties.”

 ‘ANDREAS PAPANDREU’ AIR BASE IN PAPHOS IS AN ISSUE OF DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN RUSSIA AND USA

It has been stated that ‘Andreas Papandreou’ air base in Paphos has been an issue of diplomatic disagreement between Russia and the USA.

The Greek Cypriot daily ‘Simerini’ newspaper published that ‘Andreas Papandreou’ air base in Paphos was an issue of disagreement between Russia and the USA and it was also exposed to pressure by both sides in order to meet the demands of the Greek Cypriot Administration. Publishing that the disagreement between the USA and Russia came out since the Russian Government asked for military conveniences from the Greek Cypriot Administration both in harbours and air bases, ‘Simerini’ reminded that Russia also asked to rent a place in Andreas Papandreou’ air base for the purpose of using the line as it wished.

The newspaper also wrote that the Greek Cypriot Administration was ready to provide conveniences to other countries as well as Russia, but it was difficult to meet the demand of Russia with regard to renting a place in ‘Andreas Papandreou’ air base. It was stated that the USA Government expressed immediately to the Greek Cypriot Administration that it was against renting a place and it was not known how the USA was informed about the demand of the Russian Government.

According to the Greek Cypriot daily ‘Alithia’, the Greek Cypriot Defense Minister – Fotis Fotiu stated upon being asked regarding the issue that ‘It is not correct to talk about such a sensitive issue.”

ARCHBISHOP CHRISOSTOMOS IS CRITICISED FOR SELLING THE PROPERTIES OF THE CHURCH

Commercial activites concerning the immovable properties belonged to the Greek Cypriot Orthodox Church carried out by Archbishop of Greek Cypriot Orthodox Church – Chrisostomos II between the period of being an archpriest in “Ay. Neofitu Monastery” in Paphos and being assigned as Archbishop, was published in Greek Cypriot press.

Greek Cypriot daily Kathimerini gave information on how Chrisostomos sold the immovable properties to some businessmen when he was the archpriest of “Ay. Neofitu Monastery” and was Paphos Metropolitan.

Stating that when Chrisostomos was an archpriest in “Ay. Neofitu Monastery”, he founded companies together with some businessmen in order to market the lands belonging to the monastery and he also continued these activities when he was Paphos Metropolitan, the newspaper added that Chrisostomos also sold the building of said monastery which has isolation rooms.

Source: TRNC Public information Office