TRNC News Today 26th November 2014

Ahmet Davutoğlu: “There will be no hesitation in using our rights”

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu reiterated the support of Turkey to the TRNC and said that both peoples have equal rights in the exclusive economic zone of the island and there will be no hesitation in using these rights. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu added that Turkey reiterates its call for peace, solution and intensified negotiations at once in Cyprus and said: “If this is not possible a joint committee should be established and the natural resources should be used for promoting peace. If the Greek Cypriot side say ‘no’ to both of these it should be known that the Eastern Mediterranean cannot be closed to Turkey and the TRNC. Both communities have equal rights in the whole exclusive economic zone of Cyprus and in the Eastern Mediterranean. There will be no hesitation in using these rights.”.

Prime Minister Özkan Yorgancıoğlu and Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu came together in Ankara. They made a joint statement after the meeting. Davutoglu said the TRNC has always been the side which always lead the negotiations and tried to speed up the process.

Prime Minister Yorgancıoglu emphasized that they hope to see the solution of the Cyprus problem as soon as possible. Expressing that tension can escalate any time but a solution is on the table, Prime Minister Yorgancıoglu called Anastasiades to come to the table.

Davutoglu : “If necessary we can start drilling as well”

Turkish Prime Minister and President of AK Party Ahmet Davutoglu said: “Eastern Mediterranean is also our sea; no one can close the Mediterranean to us. If necessary we can start drilling as well.” Davutoglu said that natural resources around the island of Cyprus should be acknowledged as the financer of peace and added that it is not possible to allow the Greek Cypriot side to take natural resources under their monopoly.

In his speech at the AK Party Group meeting, Davutoğlu also said if the Greek Cypriot Administration continues natural gas research activities in the south of the Island, seismic research ship Barbaros Hayrettin Paşa will continue to stay in the region and if necessary they could start drilling too.

Jack Straw: “International community should accept the division in Cyprus”

UK Former Foreign Affairs Minister – Jack Straw called on the international community to accept the division in Cyprus so that the two communities in Cyprus could develop their relations.

Straw gave an interview to Anadolu Agency (AA) and said “If a bi-zonal, bi-communal, happy and united island is possible, it will be the best solution” when he was reminded of the problems faced in the negotiation process in the Cyprus problem.

Stating that, however, especially the Greek Cypriot side did not want to accept this and this was observed 10 years ago in the referendum for the Annan Plan, Straw said “I know what happened in the recent negotiation process. Turkish Cypriots are not the ones to blame for the freezing of the negotiations. So my view is, the international community should accept the division in Cyprus. Then the two communities could develop their own relations. This will be a better system.”

Ergün Olgun is holding contacts in London

Turkish Cypriot negotiator – Ergün Olgun is having contacts in London. Olgun who is in London to attend the Round Table Meeting, had a meeting with Britain’s Minister for Europe David Lidington.

In his statement to BRT, Olgun said “It was a very constructive meeting. We expressed the constructive attitude of the Turkish Cypriot side and emphasized that we are still at the negotiation table”.

Furthermore, Olgun said that he met with British Labour Party MP – Pat Mcfadden and he will have further meetings in the UK Parliament and House of Lords.

Çavuşoğlu: “A Private Company should be established to carry out exploration activities until a solution is reached”

Turkish Foreign Minister – Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said as the two sides do not want to deal with each other he proposed the establishment of a private company to carry out exploration of natural resources in Cyprus until a solution is reached.

Regarding the natural gas exploration in Cyprus, Çavuşoğlu stressed that both sides have rights on natural resources, and they are against unilateral exploration activities of the Greek Cypriot side while the negotiations have been continuing. “They started drilling so we sent a vessel. If they stop drilling, we will reciprocate. We have new proposals now. I proposed the establishment of a private company to carry out exploration activities until a solution is reached.”

“Project for developing peace and health in Cyprus” was promoted

Promotion of the “Project for developing peace and health in Cyprus” which was formed with the cooperation of “Turkish Cypriot Diabetes Association” and “Peace Players Cyprus” took place at Home for Cooperation in the buffer zone.

The project, aims to decrease prejudice between the Turkish and Greek Cypriots, to develop manners between groups, to make youngsters use sports for reconciliation and health and to opt for healthy life.