TRNC News Today

4th December 2013

PRESIDENCY: “TURKISH CYPRIOT SIDE IS READY FOR NEGOTIATIONS WITHOUT ANY PRECONDITIONS”

The TRNC Presidency has announced that the Turkish Cypriot side is ready for the Cyprus negotiations process without any preconditions and called on the Greek Cypriot Administration to return to the negotiation table. The Presidential Palace made statements regarding the work which has been taking place on the joint statement for two and a half months now by saying that no results have been yielded.

The statement notes that throughout this process the Turkish Cypriot side has been working towards finding a common language based on UN parameters and regulations but unfortunately the Greek Cypriot side has blocked this exercise by attempting to change existing UN parameters.

Pointing out that a claim made by the Greek Cypriot side such as ‘the Turkish Cypriot side was demanding the inclusion of two independent sovereign states in the joint statement’ was completely false, the statement said the drafts of the joint statement clearly stated the Turkish Cypriot side’s commitment to a bi-communal bi-zonal solution on the basis of political equality as defined by UN Security Council Resolutions.

It also said that the Turkish Cypriot side believed that the time had come for the negotiations to start without any preconditions and for the current window of opportunity to be used to solve the Cyprus problem.

SCHULTZ: “STATUS QUO IN CYPRUS IS NOT SUSTAINABLE”

European Parliament President – Martin Schulz, has said: “the status quo in Cyprus is not sustainable especially in the case of economical crisis, although it seems attractive. The negotiations should start immediately, because a solution has to be found.” He added: “Both sides can`t turn their backs on the opportunity of this clear and constructive negotiation. Both sides should assume an unprejudiced attitude and should not use the past as a limitation. Every measure, even it appears narrow and limited, is a step that can help to build confidence between the two sides. Solution needs patience and determination.”

YORGANCIOĞLU SUPPORTS KTFF

TRNC Prime Minister – Özkan Yorgancıoğlu, expressed that he supports the process managed by the Turkish Cypriot Football Federation (KTFF) which makes efforts towards making Turkish Cypriot football a part of international football and stated that he has complete confidence.

Prime Minister Yorgancıoğlu visited KTFF and met president of KTFF Hasan Sertoğlu and his team. Yorgancıoğlu pointed out that there is a team which desires the progress of Turkish Cypriot football and wants to make Turkish Cypriot football a part of international football and makes efforts towards this direction. He added: “I believe that this team loves its country”.

SERDAR DENKTAS: “I AM NOT AGAINST A SOLUTION”

It has been stated that Deputy Prime Minister, Economy, Tourism, Culture and Sports Minister Serdar Denktas made statements with regard to the Cyprus issue in a reception yesterday.

Pointing out that he was not uncomfortable as he was introduced as ‘being against a solution’, due to his different approach with regard to the Cyprus issue, Deputy Prime Minister, Economy, Tourism, Culture and Sports Minister, Serdar Denktas said: “I am not against a solution. I want a solution. I want a solution which includes the equality of the Turkish Cypriots. The only thing we expect from the Greek Cypriots is to respect our rights.”

Denktas continued: “If we try to understand why the Greek Cypriots play for time, start to shout that the responsible one for not launching the negotiations are the Greek Cypriots and realize ourselves as a subject, we can make progress. Denktas added that the Greek Cypriot leader Anastasiades had been ‘an easy-going leader’ until he was elected and after he was elected he has acted worse than Papadopulos.

ÇAĞLAR: “OUR DESIRE IS ACTUALIZATION OF FOOTBALL ORGANIZATIONS WHICH WILL MAKE TWO COMMUNITIES COME CLOSER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE”

It has been stated that the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (CEPA) Committee on Culture, Education, Science and Media held its first meeting yesterday in Paris, the capital city of France.

The Head of CEPA Delegation of the TRNC Assembly – Mehmet Çaglar, who attended the committee works, expressed his ideas regarding the joint statement signed between Cyprus Turkish Football Federation (KTFF) and Cyprus Football Federation (KOP) which has been on the TRNC’s agenda.

Çağlar expressed that the ‘Provisional Agreement for Football in Cyprus’ which was signed on 5th November, 2013 in Zurich by the participation of FIFA and UEFA Presidents was welcomed with happiness in the Turkish Cypriot community.

Reminding that the agreement signed between Cyprus Turkish Football Federation (KTFF) and Cyprus Football Federation (KOP) would be taken up on FIFA’s agenda topic which will be held in Brazil between 4th-5th December, Caglar pointed out the urgent need for establishing the ‘Executive Committee’ which is foreseen to take concrete steps as a result of the provisional agreement reached by the two sides on 5th November, 2013 in Zurich and the joint committee which will organize the work.

TURKISH VERSION OF THE LETTER SENT BY SERTOGLU TO FIFA PRESIDENT HAS BEEN PUBLISHED

It has been stated that the Turkish version of the letter sent to the President of FIFA Joseph S. Blatter on 19th November, 2013 by the President of Cyprus Turkish Football Federation (CTFF) Hasan Sertoglu has been published.

The letter which is on the website of the Football Federation is as follows:

“Dear Mr. President,

We have realized our meeting with our clubs which compromises the Cyprus Turkish Football Federation General Assembly, regarding the meeting held in Zurich and the forward steps that will be taken in the following process and the signed draft text.

“Dear Mr. President,

We have realized our meeting

Our clubs under the Cyprus Turkish Football Federation have fully supported the taken steps at the reached point and are excited and happy to meet with the world football.

I would like to thank you again due to your contributions on behalf of my clubs as the President of Cyprus Turkish Football Federation.

Dear Mr. President,

We have much more homework as you mentioned during the meeting in Zurich. It is obvious that the process of determining the issues related to us and defining the issues which make us worried in the text will be difficult, because the opposite side does not really have problems with these issues. As I mentioned in the meeting, we would like to solve this issue and we are making efforts. Our efforts will continue until our football integrates with the world.

Dear Mr. President,

I strongly believe that we will solve this issue by the good will of the sides under your leadership. We would like to inform you that we are ready to do our homework and establish our team of four people to define the draft text as decided before and I would like to present my deepest respects.”

GREEK CYPRIOT LAWYER IS OPPOSED TO AGREEMENT SIGNED BETWEEN KTFF AND KOP

Greek Cypriot lawyer – Kris Triantafillidis, claimed that the agreement signed between Cyprus Turkish Football Federation (KTFF) and Cyprus Football Federation (KOP) in Zurich would have negative results for both sides.

According to the Greek Cypriot daily Alithia, Triantafillidis evaluated the draft agreement after examining it and reached the conclusion that this issue would have negative results in the long run for football and the whole country.

PROTESTS STARTED IN GREEK CYPRIOT SIDE

Protests have started in the Greek Cypriot side against privatization of Public Economic Enterprises today.

Greek Cypriot daily Alithia noted that T roika has laid conditions to the Greek Cypriot Administration to submit a road map for Public Economic Enterprises’ privatization so protests have started in the Greek Cypriot side.

A group of workers in the Greek Cypriot Telecommunications Authority (CYTA) and Greek Cypriot Ports Authority are going to hold one hour strike action at noon today.

Moreover, it was stated that teachers would take strike action on 11 December 2013.

GOVERNMENT OF GREECE IS READY TO MEET WITH TURKISH CYPRIOT NEGOTIATOR

Greece Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs – Evangelos Venizelos, stated that the Greek government was ready to negotiate with the Turkish Cypriot negotiator on the basis of 1960 Constitution. According to Athens News Agency, in his statement to Turkey’s Sabah newspaper, Venizelos said: ‘If we do not take the first step, we cannot change the atmosphere’.

Venizelos also mentioned the importance of the solution of the Cyprus problem and called Ankara to take a step forward. ‘If we reach a permanent solution, we will open new horizons’ Venizelos added.

Moreover, Venizelos stated that it was Greece’s strategic choice to establish a dialogue with Turkey and also stressed that the Greek government supported Turkey’s EU Negotiation Process.

Source: TRNC Public Information Office