TRNC News Today 5th February

2014

PRESIDENT EROĞLU RECEIVES NULAND

President Derviş Eroğlu received the US State Department’s Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs – Victoria Nuland yesterday.

Presidential Spokesman and Special Representative – Osman Ertuğ and the Presidential Undersecretary – Hasan Güngör were present during the meeting. No statement was made regarding the meeting.

SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY SIBER RECEIVES LYNDA BURNS

Speaker of the Assembly – Sibel Siber received the Deputy of British High Commissioner – Lynda Burns yesterday.

The Secretary of British High Commission – Nicholas Kennedy whose mission ended and the new Secretary of the British High Commission – Rebecca Shah participated in the meeting.

NULAND: “BOTH LEADERS HAVE ASSURED ME REGARDING THEIR DETERMINATION TO AGREE ON THE JOINT STATEMENT”

The US State Department’s Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland has stated that President Eroğlu and the Greek Cypriot leader Anastasiades have assured her regarding ‘their determination to agree on the joint statement which would encourage result orientated solution negotiations and determine key principles’.

The US State Department’s Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland expressed the following about her meetings with Eroğlu and Anastasiades:“I have had perfect meetings with Anastasiades and Eroğlu regarding solution efforts in Cyprus. Following the meetings, I have been convinced with regard to personal commitment of both of the leaders for real progress orientated towards ending the division of the island. I have assured the leaders about the strong support of President Obama and our continuing determination while they have got this opportunity and taken brave steps to provide security and economical welfare for both communities and people of the island. The United States of America supports improvement and early practice of measures in order to build peace and increase co-operation”.

FOREIGN MINISTER NAMI MET WITH VICTORIA NULAND

TRNC Foreign Minister Özdil Nami met with the USA Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs – Victoria Nuland yesterday and exchanged views with regard to the latest stage reached in the Cyprus issue.

The meeting held at the USA Northern Cyprus office was also attended by General Director of the TRNC Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Kemal Köprülü and USA Ambassador to Nicosia – John Koenig.

REMAINS OF MISSING PERSONS HAVE BEEN FOUND IN TASKENT

It has been stated that the remains of missing Turkish Cypriots in Taşkent who had been killed by the Greek Cypriots in 1974, have been found.

Under the headline ‘The Remains of Missing Persons have been found in Tohni (Taşkent)’ the Greek Cypriot daily ‘Fileleftheros’ published that 85 Turkish Cypriots had been killed in Taşkent in 1974, taken to the stone pit in ‘Pareklisia’(Pareklişa-Limasol) by two buses and then buried in mass graves.

The newspaper wrote that the first mass grave was determined in 2010, but despite all efforts no information could be obtained about the Turkish Cypriots on the second bus.

Stating that the United Nations were informed regarding the murder of 85 Turkish Cypriots, the newspaper expressed that those people were buried in another place and then taken to the region where the stone pit was.

Recording that the reason why any information could not be obtained about 45 Turkish Cypriots on the second bus was that the Greek Cypriots rejected to give information, the newspaper published that the remains of missing persons on the first bus have been found and there were some encouraging indicators with regard to finding the rest.

ARPALIK MARTYRS TO BE COMMEMORATED

According to the information given by the Association of Martyrs Families and Veterans, Arpalık Martyrs are going to be commemorated on February 6, Thursday at 10:00 am at Tekke Garden Martyrdom.

STATEMENT BY THE TRNC MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS REGARDING UN SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION 2135

In United Nations Security Council Resolution 2135 dated 30 January 2014 extending the mandate of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) until 31 July 2014, the only noticeable difference from previous Resolutions of the Security Council is its paragraph 4 which underlines the expectation of the resumption of the negotiation process.

In the said paragraph, the Security Council expresses its disappointment that formal negotiations have not yet resumed and encourages the parties on the Island to agree on a way forward.

The Turkish Cypriot side conveyed a proposal, which had gained the support of all Turkish Cypriot political parties, to the Greek Cypriot leader through the United Nations with an aim to expedite the finalization of the exercise on the joint statement for the resumption of the negotiation process. However, the response of the Greek Cypriot side to this proposal was far from being constructive. It is disappointing that the difference between the approaches of the two sides have not been reflected in the Security Council Resolution.

The Turkish Cypriot side maintains its decisiveness to undertake the responsibility on its part towards the resumption of the negotiation process in order to reach a fair and sustainable agreement and expects all relevant parties to display a similar constructive approach to this end.

Source: TRNC Public Information Office