TRNC News Today 25th May 2015 – Mines : Greek Cypriots appeared to be lying in previous discourses
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TRNC News Today 25th May 2015
Greeks denied themselves on the issue of mines
With the map Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Anastasiades gave to President Mustafa Akıncı last week as a show of good will, the Greek Cypriots appeared to be lying in previous discourses about the mines. Former Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister Yorgo Yakovu in 2003 said about the mines in question “They were laid by the Turkish Military”.
Security Sciences Specialist Assistant. Assoc. Dr. Can Kasapoğlu who did his Master’s and PhD in Military Academy, Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies Institute at the war academies, referring to the international plan report signed by Yorgo Yakovu who was the Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs 2003 and then a negotiator, drew attention to the new questions that need to be answered.
At the national plan report of Ottawa convention, Yakovu described the position of Cyprus in 2003 stating that the region in question has mines but they were laid by the Turkish Military.
Contrary to the claim of Former Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister Yakovu, Greek Cypriot Leader Anastasiades said “We laid the mines. Here are the maps” and this was perceived as continuation of contradictions and bluff which have been carried on for years about the mines.
“Our common aim is to solve the Cyprus problem as soon as possible”
President Mustafa Akıncı and Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Anastasiades re-emphasized during the tour they made in the North and South of Nicosia that their common aim is to solve the Cyprus problem as soon as possible. Both of the 
leaders gave a brief explanation to the press. President Mustafa Akıncı stated that social meetings are important in terms of the Cyprus negotiation process. “I would like to give a message of hope in Cyprus because all we need is hope after all the disappointments in the past,” Akıncı said.
Furthermore, Akıncı added “We made a very good start with the Greek Cypriot leader, and our aim is to continue this dialogue and reach the main goal. I would like to give a message to the Greek Cypriot people: We have a common vision, determination and political will required to establish a better future for the next generations”.
In his statement, Greek Cypriot leader Anastasiades said that they will work together to find a solution as soon as possible, adding that there were conflicts between the two sides in the past but a solution should be reached for the future of both of the communities in Cyprus.
Strong support from France
France’s Ambassador to Nicosia Jean-Luc Florent stated that the Turkish Cypriots have gone to a political change 
at a level of leadership, and noted that the rate of votes received by both President Mustafa Akıncı and Kudret Özersay points to the need for change in the society.
Jean-Luc Florent expressed that by changing their leader, Turkish Cypriots proved their desire for a solution to the Cyprus Problem.
Furthermore, Florent added that Turkish Cypriots challenged status quo for the second time and put forward a stable will in the direction of a solution in Cyprus.
Source: TRNC Public Information Office –
To read more news and information from the TRNC Ministry of Foreign Affairs, please click here
It would seem Turkey removed their mines a long time ago.
http://www.mod.gov.cy/mod/mod.nsf/page20_en/page20_en?OpenDocument
Thank you Eric Foremen for your comments however you are pointed to the Cyprus Ministery of Defence article that said that the Republic of Cyprus had conformed to the Ottowa Convention for the removal of minefields within its territory.
The maps provided by the Greek Cypriots in the past few weeks were for minefields which were planted before the island was split in 1974 along the Pentadaktylos or Kyrenia mountain range and are within the area of the TRNC.
If you read the previous day’s TRNC News Today you will discover from the headlines that according to the statement of the Presidency Spokesman Barış Burcu; Akıncı told the UN officials that the coordinates at the 28 minefields are insufficient and asked them to obtain all the details regarding the minefields and convey them to the Turkish Cypriot side. Moreover, Akıncı asked UN mine experts to join these efforts at the soonest and in the most effective manner.
Clearly since the 1974 peace intervention it is most likely that the Turkish Forces or Turkish Cypriot Defence Force will from time to time have cleared dangerous ordinance from their territory but in this case the minefields planted by the Greeks and previously denied by them, are now the subject for location and disposal by Turkey and the TRNC.
In the Greek Cypriot MOD article they talk about their gestures of goodwill on the demining of the buffer zone but until now have not shown similar goodwill to the TRNC territory where if the 28 minefields are real, there could have been a real danger to life that they have kept to themselves for the past 41 years.