TRNC News Today – 2nd December 2013

EROGLU: “THE TRNC IS OUR MOST POWERFUL WEAPON”

In the speech he delivered at the opening of a festival, President Derviş Eroglu said that having a State was a great happiness and added that establishing a State was the main target of all struggles.

Recording that the Turkish Cypriot people have crowned their struggle with a State, Eroglu said: “The TRNC State is our most powerful weapon.”

Expressing that the TRNC empowers them at the negotiation table Eroglu said: “If we had no State then it would be impossible to sit at the negotiation table. If we had no State we could not have the possibility to tell the world about the realities and we would be in a weak position at the negotiation table.”

Reiterating that the only viable solution would be the one which was based on the realities, Eroglu said that otherwise problems and bad days would be waiting for the Turkish Cypriot people.

“WE PUT FORWARD OUR INTENTION FOR AN AGREEMENT”

Expressing that the Turkish Cypriot people and motherland Turkey put forward their intention for an agreement, Eroglu said: “Now it is the Greek side which should put forward their intention for an agreement.”

Indicating that the TRNC could have problems like any other State. Eroglu said: “The world should know that we shall not bow to the Greek side at the negotiation table just because we have problems.”

OZDIL NAMI: “MARAS IS PART OF A COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs – Ozdil Nami, said that Maras was part of a comprehensive solution and continued: “Maras cannot be the project of people who have a target to reach a comprehensive solution by next Spring. Maras is the project of those who do not have the target of reaching a comprehensive solution.”

Minister Nami: “The current attitude of Greece related to reciprocal negotiations is ‘let there be a joint statement and then these visits can be realized’. Therefore even if it is not declared officially I think now a joint statement is expected”.

ANOTHER WARNING FROM RUSSIA: “WE MAY PUT CYPRUS ON THE LIST OF ‘UNFAVOURABLE OFFSHORES”

Russia has put on the agenda the issue of placing Cyprus and Luxembourg on the ‘black list’ of countries which do not declare tax information.

According to the information from Russian agents, the Russian Deputy Finance Minister – Sergey Şatalov, declared that South Cyprus and Luxembourg may be placed on the unfavourable list again.

Approximately 11 months ago Cyprus was de-listed from the Russian offshore list in which there are 41 countries.

It has been indicated that Russia may place Cyprus among the countries which do not meet the OECD standards like British Virgin Islands, Luxembourg and the Seychelles Islands.

According to the Voxeu.org the amount of money transferred from Russia to offshore accounts in South Cyprus has been 31 billion dollars in the last 20 years.

KIDD WARNS GREEK CYPRIOTS INSINUATINGLY

High Commissioner to Cyprus – Mathew Kidd, warned the Greek Cypriots insinuatingly on the natural gas issue in a panel organized last Tuesday at the University of Cyprus in South Cyprus. Replying to the question of a student whether there would

be a reason for Turkey to start a second war if the Greek side succeeds in the natural gas explorations, Kidd said “it could be, if you play it wrong”.

Replying to another question concerning the Cyprus problem, the High Commissioner to Cyprus said “if all of us make a contribution to a solution with our own methods, it will help to contribute to a better future for Cyprus and also it will encourage the solution of other long-term international problems”.

Kidd : “I think you should not miss the new opportunities for the Cyprus problem by using the new factors. Energy is a new factor. It is important to think about the opportunities for using the new resources for a solution instead of thinking that the Cyprus problem started in 1974 or anything experienced in the past. For this reason, I think that energy and the Cyprus problem are not two different problems. Look for the opportunities and perspectives which will help you”.

TURKISH EUROPEAN UNION MINISTER AND CHIEF NEGOTIATOR EGEMEN BAĞIŞ: “THEIR SOLE COMMON ISSUE IS THE WATERWORKS”

The Turkish European Union Minister and Chief Negotiator for the EU – Egemen Bağış, who gave an interview to the Greek weekly “Real News”, drew attention that there were two different democratic formations in Cyprus and said that the sides should realize the truth by leaving politics aside.

Bağış said: “The reality is that there are two active democratic republics in the Island. They have separate elected leaders, separate elected assemblies, separate education systems and separate elected governments. Their sole common issue is the waterworks.

Stating that the objective and hope of Turkey is to unite these two democratic countries under an umbrella, Bağış pointed out that he was optimistic for a solution because Nikos Anastasiadis who said “YES” to 2004 Annan Plan is the head of the Greek Cypriot Administration.

GREEK CYPRIOTS PERFORMED A RELIGIOUS CEREMONY AT APOSTOLOS ANDREAS MONASTERY ON THE OCCASION OF APOSTLE ANDREAS’ DAY

Greek Cypriots performed a religious ceremony at the Apostolos Andreas Monastery on the occasion of Apostle Andreas’ Day. Nearly 2 thousand people attended the ceremony.

A delegation from DISI under the head of spouse of leader of Greek Cypriot administration Nikos Anastasiades – Andri Anastasiadis and the leader of DISI – Averof Neofitu, also attended the ceremony.

South Cyprus representative of TRNC Religious Affairs – Şakir Alemdar and the representative of Iskele Region – Fahrettin Öğdü, also participated in the ceremony.