TRNC News Today 4th March 2014

FOREIGN MINISTER NAMI: ‘IN A SENSE, ISOLATIONS IMPOSED ON TURKISH CYPRIOTS HAVE BEEN OVERCOME’

TRNC Foreign Affairs Ministry and Islamic Centre for Development of Trade (ICDT) organized a joint workshop themed “Export Promotion and Investment Strategies in the context of Globalization”. Foreign Minister Özdil Nami made the opening speech at the workshop and pointed out the importance of organizing workshops of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in our country, and added: ‘In a sense, isolations imposed on the Turkish Cypriots have been overcome with this organization.’

Moreover, stressing the strategic importance of Cyprus, Nami said that Cyprus is a bridge between the East and West and also expressed the importance of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation for North Cyprus with some statistical information.

According to the statistical information, OIC member countries realized 35.2 million dollars export to North Cyprus and the TRNC realized 40.2 million dollars export to the OIC member states via Turkey. Pointing out that this rate has increased 12.5 % in the last 3 years; Nami said that they aimed to reach 100 million dollars. Expressing his wish to develop relations with the OIC member countries Nami called foreign investors to make investment in our country.

In his speech, FM Nami explained the latest developments regarding the Cyprus problem to the participants. Expressing that negotiations have reached a new stage with the joint statement, Nami said that there is an opportunity for a solution in Cyprus after a long time. If both sides have a will for the solution, the half century old Cyprus problem can be solved and our island can be an island of peace.

FOREIGN MINISTER NAMI: ‘AKEL’S ROLE IS IMPORTANT’

Foreign Minister Özdil Nami stated that leaders handed over their missions for conducting the negotiations to their special representatives and political crisis in  South Cyprus is not expected to affect the negotiation process in Cyprus in a negative way.

Nami pointed out  the importance of Greek Cypriot party AKEL’s role for the negotiation process and said that AKEL’s role can be determinant. Expressing that it is very early to make a comment, FM Nami said that the new Greek Cypriot government to be established by the Greek Cypriot leader Anastasiades will disclose their own political balance.

Moreover, Nami also expressed that collocutor of the Turkish Cypriot side is the Greek Cypriot leader.

NEGOTIATORS ARE GOING TO MEET IN BUFFER ZONE TODAY

Turkish Cypriot negotiator Kudret Özersay and Greek Cypriot negotiator Andreas Mavroyannis will meet in the buffer zone at 11:00 am today. (4th March 2014)

CTP ATTENDED THE PES CONGRESS

Secretary General of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) Kutlay Erk, and the Women’s Organization Foreign Affairs Secretary and Member of Parliament Fazilet Özdenefe have attended the congress of the European Socialists Party (PES) which has taken place in Rome.

According to the statement made by CTP, PES – Women Congress expressed full support to the current president of the EU Parliament Martin Schultz in the coming presidential elections of the EU Commission.

Secretary General Kutlay Erk met with Schultz and wished him success.

Source: TRNC Public Information Office