TRNC News Today 14^th May 2015

The first meeting is tomorrow

President Mustafa Akıncı and the leader of the Greek Cypriot administration Nikos Anastasiades are meeting within the framework of resumption of the Cyprus negotiations which have been suspended since October last year. The meeting will start at the buffer zone at the premises of UNFICYP’s Mission of Good Office at 10:00.

According to the statement of UNFICYP, UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Cyprus Espen Barth Eide is coming to Cyprus today in order to support the resumption of the negotiations. Eide will stay in the island for holding contacts until 17 May.

Names at the negotiation committee have been declared

President Mustafa Akıncı declared names of the negotiation committee of the Turkish Cypriot side at the negotiations which will start on Friday. The names are respectively President Mustafa Akıncı, negotiator Özdil Nami, Presidential Spokesman Barış Burcu, Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Erhan Erçin and Foreign Ministry Third Secretary Sertaç Güven.

Akıncı: “We want to open a new page without grief and missing persons from now on”

President Mustafa Akıncı stated that the issue of “missing persons” is a bleeding wound for Cyprus and one of the grief pages and also he said he wants to open a new page without grief and missing persons from now on.

Akıncı wished to share a nicer and brighter future for both sides of young generations in Cyprus and it depends on the negotiations which will start on Friday.

President Akıncı emphasized that the communities in the island should interiorize this and develop the peace culture.

He received Committee on Missing Persons Turkish Cypriot member Gülden Plümer Küçük yesterday afternoon. Küçük gave information to Akıncı about the meeting between UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon and members of the Committee on Missing Persons in New York. Gülden Plümer Küçük also emphasized that it is very important that President Akıncı supports the committee.

USA welcomed the announcement of the resumption of negotiations

Administration of the USA welcomed the announcement of the resumption of negotiations on 15^th May.

According to the written statement of the spokeswoman for the United States National Security Council Bernadette Meehan, “USA supports the negotiating process fully, both at a national level and within the United Nations and reiterates its trust in Espen Barth Eide, Special Advisor to the United Nations Secretary General.”

Meehan also stated that she encouraged the parties to reach a settlement as soon as possible to reunify the island as a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation, which would benefit all Cypriots as well as the wider region,” Meehan said.

‘Europe Day’ was celebrated

“9^th May Europe Day” was celebrated with a reception at the EU Information Center. During the reception, the Head of EU Information Center Pembe Menteş, the Head of EU Support Office Alessandra Viezer and the Minister of National Education Özdemir Berova made speeches. Menteş said that 9^th May is celebrated as the birthday of Europe in the European member countries.

Furthermore, Viezer said that 9^th May represents European countries’ starting to live in peace and solidarity and explained the EU’s establishment process.

Adding that they supported many projects of the Turkish Cypriots within the framework of the financial aid program of EU’s solidarity concept, Viezer gave examples of these projects.

Bi-Communal internship program to be organized

Bi-communal internship program is going to be organized. Within the framework of the program, 12 Turkish Cypriot and 12 Greek Cypriot university graduates who are not employed will have an opportunity to do internship.

The internship program will be realized during September 2015 – April 2016. Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce and Greek Cypriot Chamber of Commerce and Industry will arrange a launching regarding the internship program.

“Leading by Example” project will be held under the European Union “Cypriot Civil Society in Action IV” grant program and internships within the context of the project will be completely financed by this grant program. The program will be executed by the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce and Greek Cypriot Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

TDP visits AKEL

According to the written statement of Communal Democracy Party (TDP), a delegation from TDP which consisted of TDP Leader Cemal Özyiğit, deputies Mehmet Çakıcı and Hüseyin Angolemli and Foreign Relations Secretary Deniz Birinci visited Greek Cypriot party AKEL yesterday.

The meeting which was held at AKEL headquarters in South Nicosia continued for about one hour. During the meeting the latest stage reached on the Cyprus problem and the negotiations which will resume on Friday was discussed and it was decided to establish a common working group to make contribution to the solution process.

In his statement to the press, TDP Leader Cemal Özyiğit stated that each day that passes without reaching a solution is to the disadvantage of all Cypriots. A solution to be reached will be to the advantage of all Cypriots.

Furthermore, in his speech, AKEL Secretary General Andros Kiprianou said that the negotiation process which will resume on Friday is very important for the future of Cyprus and everyone should spend intense efforts for both leaders’ reaching an agreement on Cyprus.