TRNC News Today 26th May 2015

Çavuşoğlu to visit TRNC

Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu will arrive in Cyprus for an official visit today. President Mustafa Akıncı will receive Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu today and they will have a private meeting. After the meeting, the two delegations will come together at a working lunch.

After the working lunch, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and President Mustafa Akıncı will hold a joint press conference.

Speaker of the Assembly Sibel Siber and Prime Minister Özkan Yorgancıoğlu will also receive Çavuşoğlu separately.

Negotiators met again

Turkish Cypriot Negotiator Özdil Nami and Greek Cypriot Negotiator Andreas Mavroyannis had an approximately three and half hour meeting yesterday. No statements were made to the press after the meeting. Nami and Mavroyannis are expected to meet again at a meeting to be attended by UN Secretary General’s Special Advisor on Cyprus Espen Barth Eide tomorrow.

Within the framework of the decisions taken by the parties, negotiators will meet often and make supportive works for leaders’ talks which are expected to be held twice a month.

Turkey’s will towards a solution in Cyprus continues

In his statement at the 6th. World Energy Forum, the President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan emphasized that it is not possible to make any concessions on the policy regarding the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the island’s energy resources. Erdoğan also expressed on every occasion “Natural resources to be explored around Cyprus belong to all inhabitants of the island. Turkey is the key country for using resources and for transportation of these resources to international markets.”

Furthermore, Erdoğan pointed out that energy resources in the Eastern Mediterranean will play an important role in the energy map of Turkey, as well as Turkey’s energy diplomacy. Erdoğan said “We will be very pleased if an agreement is reached between the sides as in Iraq. Turkey’s will towards a solution in Cyprus will continue”.

New criteria for TRNC citizenship

It was stated that new criteria is to be applied for legal arrangements regarding citizenship.

As well as the “Citizenship Resolution” approved by the Council of Ministers on13th. May, law draft for work permits of foreign workers and white identity cards have been brought to the agenda of the Assembly. With approval of the new resolution, the law in force since 1993 will be repealed.

According to the draft; the people who come to the country for work will be able to get work permits but will not be able to gain civil rights. Citizenship will not be given by Council of Ministers’ decision or approval of the Ministry. Concrete criteria has been prepared for foreign investors’ making application for citizenship.