TRNC News Today 5^th June 2015

Akıncı: “A solution to the Cyprus problem is possible within months”

All parties to the Cyprus conflict should come together for a “line dance” to capitalize on the momentum towards a permanent solution, President Mustafa Akıncı said yesterday.

Akıncı met with the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon in New York on Thursday for the first time since his election in April.

Speaking to reporters following the meeting, Akıncı said there is a positive atmosphere on the island, where peace talks between Turkish Cypriots in the north and Greek Cypriots in the south restarted last month.

“I’m very much convinced that with this mood and with the commitment of my people for a lasting and viable solution we will be achieving a mutually acceptable solution within months rather than years,” he said.

Akıncı said a typical metaphor used on the island in the past when one side placed blame on the other was to call it a “tango” – a style of dance that requires a partner.

 “Whenever one side or the other, depending on the circumstances, wanted to put all the blame to the other side, that side used the metaphor of tango: ‘You need two to solve the Cyprus problem, you need two to tango.’ … But what I’m saying nowadays is something completely different. I’m saying that we need a line dance. In Turkish, it is halay; in Greek, it is sirtaki”, he said.

The involvement of civil society, as well as of international actors such as UN, EU and guarantor powers, are needed although Turkish and Greek Cypriot communities will always remain the protagonists of the issue, he said.

Regarding the potential effects of the results of upcoming Sunday’s general election in Turkey, Akıncı said he believed the new government would be committed to the negotiation process and make a positive contribution.

“What is needed actually is to see that Greece also recovers from what they are facing nowadays as soon as possible so that it can also put its positive input to the process like Turkey”, he said referring to the Greek economic crisis.

Meanwhile, the UN chief welcomed “the positive atmosphere” surrounding the Cyprus talks and encouraged leaders from both sides to continue, according to the following statement issued from his spokesperson’s office:

“The Secretary-General welcomed the positive atmosphere surrounding the Cyprus talks, commending the commitment of the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr. Akinci, and the Greek Cypriot leader, Mr. Anastasiades, to reach a comprehensive settlement to the Cyprus issue.   He encouraged the leaders to stay on this path and assured Mr. Akinci of his personal commitment and that of his Special Adviser Espen Barth Eide to continue facilitating the efforts of the two leaders in the talks. The Secretary-General also welcomed the leaders’ agreement to work on a number of confidence building measures that would benefit both communities. He noted that the measures could help to increase and sustain the positive environment on the island. The Secretary-General also welcomed the decision by the leaders to establish a committee on gender equality in the framework of the talks.”

Azeri Minister: “Greek Cypriot Administration accepted to export natural gas to Europe through TANAP”

Azerbaijan’s Minister of Energy Natig Aliyev stated that they negotiated with South Cyprus and Israel regarding transfer of natural gas to Europe through TANAP (Trans-Anatolian Gas Project) by using Azerbaijan infrastructure which passes from Turkey.

According to Greek Cypriot Simerini newspaper addressing the International Caspian Oil and Gas conference Natig Aliyev noted that South Cyprus and Israel will be able to transfer natural gas to Europe through Turkey except Iraq and Iran and added that they negotiated about this subject.

It is claimed that Greek Cypriots work at Turkish offices dealing with selling of Greek territories in the TRNC

It is claimed that some Greek Cypriots cross to the TRNC everyday in order to work at Turkish offices dealing with selling of Greek territories.

Greek Cypriot daily newspaper Fileleftheros pointed out that at yesterday’s meeting of Immigrant Committee of Greek Cypriot Assembly, one of the government authorities claimed that some Greek Cypriots are in cooperation with the Immovable Property Commission. According to the news there are similar offices which work accordingly in South Cyprus, but because of some reasons these institutions are not disclosed.

Uluçay examines new optical readers at the checkpoints

Optic readers to be used for crossings at check points have been established as of today. Interior Minister Teberrüken Uluçay who went to the Metehan crossing point today examined the optic readers and said they were being implemented at all crossing points from Ercan airport to the ports and borders. Uluçay said that the work related to bring the immigration staff cabins closer to the pavements would be completed next week as well. At a meeting at the Metehan crossing point with the UN it was discussed that the number of immigration officers in the south be increased to two as the queue of cars crossing into the south was more. The minister responding to questions said that citizens were not obliged to get the e-ID cards and they could still use their present IDs when crossing.

Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage organized an activity due to completing restoration project at Ayios Afksentios Church

The Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage organized an activity due to completing restoration project at Ayios Afksentios Church in Büyükkonuk. The Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage co-presidents Ali Tuncay and Takis Hadjidemetriu, diplomats from the US, Italy, Bulgaria, Holland, Ireland and Turkish and Greek Cypriot specialists, head of the EU Support Office Alessandra Viezzer, Tiziana Zennaro responsible for UNDP-PFF attended respectively to the organization.

Ali Tuncay and Takis Hadjidemetriou receive the European Citizen’s Prize 2015

Takis Hadjidemetriou and Ali Tuncay are among the 47 winners of the European Citizen`s Prize 2015 of the European Parliament, the European Parliament Office in Cyprus says in an announcement issued yesterday. Since 2008, the prize has been awarded to citizens or organizations having contributed to promoting better mutual understanding and closer integration between citizens or to facilitating cross-border or transnational cooperation within the EU. The winners will receive a medal of honour at an award ceremony in Cyprus and will be invited to a joint event in Brussels in October. `Takis Hadgidemetriou and Ali Tuncay were proposed by MEPS Takis Hadjigeorgiou (GUE) and Neoklis Sylikiotis (GUE) who underlined that the two nominees for the Prize have contributed enormously in the recording, preservation and restoration of the cultural heritage (Christian and Muslim) of all communities in Cyprus. In addition their actions promote the concept of peaceful cooperation and partnership and they can be an example for young people of both Communities on the island. The winners were selected on Wednesday 3^rd  June by a Chancellery in Brussels, chaired by Vice-President Sylvie Guillaume (S&D, FR). The Members of the Chancellery are: Vice-Presidents Ildikó Gáll-Pelcz (EPP, HU), Olli Rehn (ALDE, FI), Dimitrios Papadimoulis (GUE/NGL, EL) and Ryszard Czarnecki (ECR, PL), former EP Presidents Hans-Gert Pöttering (EPP, DE) and Enrique Barón Crespo (S&D, ES) and eminent personalities Hannes Swoboda (S&D, AT) and Jose Manuel Barroso (EPP, PT).

Source: TRNC Public Information Office –

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