TRNC News Today 3rd December 2014
Volkan Bozkır, Turkey’s EU Minister and Chief Negotiator arrives on the Island
Volkan Bozkır, Minister for European Union (EU) Affairs and Chief Negotiator, arrived on the Island yesterday evening.
Bozkır was greeted at Ercan Airport by Foreign Minister – Özdil Nami, Turkey’s Ambassador to Lefkoşa – Halil İbrahim Akça and Ministry of Foreign Affairs Under-Secretary – Erhan Erçin.
Foreign Minister Özdil Nami expressed his contentment to welcome Bozkır among them.
Foreign Minister Nami also expressed that the visit of EU Minister and Chief Negotiator Bozkır has come at a particularly significant point in time, stating that during today’s high-level meetings, issues pertaining to the Cyprus problem, bilateral relations, and the EU harmonization process of the Turkish Cypriots will be discussed.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs: “We are of the firm belief that all work related to the assessment of the natural resources should be conducted within the framework of cooperation”
The Minister of Energy, Trade, Industry and Tourism of the Greek Cypriot Administration of South Cyprus has made a joint statement with his Greek and Egyptian counterparts on 25 November 2014 following their meeting regarding the hydrocarbon reserves in the Eastern Mediterranean. These actions and continuing one-sided initiatives of the Greek Cypriot side taken on a platform at which the Turkish Cypriot side lacks representation implies that the Greek 
Cypriot leadership is disregarding the equal and inherent rights of the Turkish Cypriot people over the hydrocarbon reserves and does not consider as a priority the resumption of the negotiation process, which it has abandoned by showing this issue as an excuse.
We deem it necessary to emphasize once again that the Turkish Cypriot people, as one of the two equal partners on the island of Cyprus, have equal and inherent rights over the existing natural resources within the maritime jurisdiction area of the Island, and that they have as much of a say as the Greek Cypriot leadership over all decisions to be taken regarding the exploration, exploitation and exportation of the hydrocarbon reserves.
As the Turkish Cypriot side, we are of the firm belief that all work related to the assessment of the natural resources around the Island, which belong equally to both communities, should be conducted within the framework of the proposals of the Turkish Cypriot side made in 2011 and 2012 and which still stand, rather than through one-sided initiatives, until a comprehensive settlement is reached. With this goal in mind, the expectation of the Turkish Cypriot side continues to be for the Greek Cypriot side to respect the progress achieved up to today and to urgently resume the structured negotiations without any preconditions as expressed in the joint declaration agreed by the two leaders on 11 February 2014.
Republic of Turkey donated $100,000 US dollars to the Committee of Missing Persons
The Republic of Turkey have donated $100,000 US dollars to the Committee of Missing Persons.
Turkish Ambassador, Halil İbrahim Akça, presented the donation cheque to the Turkish Cypriot member of the committee – Gülden Plümer Küçük yesterday.
AKEL: “We are in a very critical period”
Greek Cypriot daily Fileleftheros reported that AKEL’s Secretary General – Andros Kiprianu said “We are going through a very critical period regarding the Cyprus problem. Developments 
regarding the Cyprus problem are very negative and cause big concerns among people in terms of a solution perspective.
Criticizing the Greek Cypriot Leader – Nikos Anastasiades for lacking a clear strategy, Kiprianu said “We have no coherence and our priorities are not put in order according to the order of importance. We make a call to Anastasiades and ask him to take initiative and create a perspective for the resumption of substantial negotiations for solution of the Cyprus problem”.
Eide’s equal treatment causes disturbance among the Greek Cypriot opposition parties
UN Secretary General’s Special Advisor on Cyprus – Espen Barth Eide’s interview published in Greek Cypriot daily Alithia caused 
disturbance among the Greek Cypriot opposition parties. Greek Cypriots who never accept to be treated equally under any condition with Turkish Cypriots did not like Eide’s equal treatment approach. According to Alithia newspaper, EDEK party criticized Eide for his equal treatment instead of criticizing Turkey for its exploration activities in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Ecologists and Environmentalist Movement also stated that they were surprised by Eide trying to justify Turkey’s activities on the hydrocarbon issue by saying that Turkish Cypriots’ are asking for their right to administer natural wealth of the island in the future. Environmentalists warned Eide not to treat Turkey and “Cyprus Republic “ equal.
European University of Cyprus’ Academician Hristos Kasimeris: “We are all racists”
‘European University of Cyprus’ Academician – Hristos Kasimeris, said racism is not only in Cyprus but all around European 
countries
The Greek Cypriot daily Fileleftheros, reported that according to a study made by “European Cyprus University” xenophobia and racist attitudes generally existed in Cyprus, and Greek Cypriots think that foreigners who come to Cyprus to live doesn’t have a positive contribution to the economy. According to Kasimeris, Greek Cypriots’ racist tendency is the result of the belief that foreigner’s reduce the quality of Cyprus’ customs and cultural life.
Pegasus Airlines is the Airline that carries the highest number of passengers to the Island
It is reported that Pegasus Airlines is the airline that carries the highest number of passengers to Cyprus.
According to the daily Fileleftheros, 15 percent of the passengers to Cyprus are carried to the Island with Pegasus. Pegasus leads the list as the first airline that carried the highest number of passengers to the Island. Second comes Cyprus Airways and Turkish Airways as the third.
