TRNC News Today 30^th June 2015

Eide: “I was optimistic but now I am more optimistic”

In his statement to the press after the meeting of leaders, UN Secretary General’s Special Advisor on Cyprus Espen Barth Eide said  “I was optimistic but now I am more optimistic”.

Following the leaders’ meeting which continued for about 4 and half hours within the framework of Cyprus negotiations, Eide read the joint statement. Eide stated “The meeting of leaders was conducted in a very positive atmosphere.  The Leaders were focused on substantial issues which have not been solved yet. The issues of “governance”, “property” and “territory criterias” were discussed. Leaders met three times during this week and continued their works regarding substantial issues”.

Furthermore, stating that the leaders exchanged views on the issue of confidence building measures, Eide said that Akıncı and Anastasiades expressed their determination to reach a comprehensive settlement as soon as possible.

Eide added that the leaders will attend an activity organised by Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce and Greek Cypriot Chamber of Commerce and Industry on 8 July and they will also meet with religious leaders on the same day.

Eide also said that the next meeting of the leaders will be held on 10 July.

Akıncı: “Our aim is to establish high level relations with EU institutions”

President Mustafa Akıncı said that their aim is to establish high level relations with EU institutions already and continue these relations.

In his statement to press before leaving for Brussels last night, Akıncı said that he would meet with EU officials in Brussels. Expressing that he will hold intensive contacts in Brussels, Akıncı said that public opinion will be informed about his Brussels contacts.

Emphasising the urgency of a solution in Cyprus, Akıncı said that the time for the settlement has arrived and that “no time should be wasted”.

The President also added that the federal state that will be formed will be an EU member state and that as the equal partners of the federal state the Turkish Cypriot community will take its place in the EU.

Akıncı: “For the first time, we negotiate core issues within the context of comprehensive  negotiations”

President Mustafa Akinci expressed that they negotiated the core issues for the first time and they made progress on some issues and added “Step by step, the works come to fruition. We managed to make progress on issues like electricity, mobile phones and some other issues”.

President Akinci made statements at the TRNC Presidency following the meeting with leader of Greek Cypriot administration Nikos Anastasiades held in the buffer zone.

Akinci said “We, for the first time, negotiated the core issues within the context of the comprehensive negotiations”. Akıncı said that the two negotiators have produced a comprehensive document which determines the status of “almost all” headings. “We have reached a point where we will intensify the work on the issues that are not agreed upon yet and we are doing it in order to reach a comprehensive settlement”, said the President.

Furthermore, stating that they made progress and they determined new working areas for the negotiators until the next meetings,  Akinci noted that the negotiators will continue to meet three times a week and leaders will continue to discuss core issues at the meeting to be held on 10 July. Akinci also added that everybody should avoid the expressions which will not contribute to the process.

Çavuşoğlu: “ We cannot make concession”

National Unity Party (UBP) Deputy Nazım Çavuşoğlu stated “We cannot make concessions for bizonality and guarantees. All agreements are made to reach a better stage than the current stage. Expectation for the negotiations is increasing for 2-3 years”.

Adding that all agreements are made to reach a better stage, Çavuşoğlu said that if the Turkish Cypriots are asked to go to a worse stage, it will be difficult to reach a solution.

Furthermore, Çavuşoğlu added “I see that Turkish Cypriot people are very willing and devoted for a solution. Greek Cypriots must also be willing to reach a solution in these territories”. (Haberal Kıbrıslı)

“They create problem again”

Greek Cypriot Administration prevented the meeting of the Board of Directors of the United Federation of Travel Agents’ Associations (UFTAA) to be made in the TRNC last February.

The decision of making the meeting of the Board of Directors in TRNC between the dates of 19-20 February 2015 was taken in the congress of UFTAA held in Bali, in Indonesia.  But, according to the information obtained from a reliable source, the Greek Cypriot Administration prevented the meeting by causing pressure through the Ambassadors in different countries.

Honorary President of the Cyprus Turkish Tourism and Travel Agents Union (CTTTAU) Ahmet Necati Özkan and member of Board of Directors of CTTTAU Özbek Dedekorkut attended the UFTAA congress in Bali and offered the meeting of Board of Directors to be held in our country. (Source: Turkish Cypriot daily KIBRIS)

Othello Castle to be re-opened

Othello Castle, which was restored by spending nearly one million Euros, will be re-opened with a ceremony on Thursday. The opening ceremony will take place in the Castle garden.

According to the announcement made by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP),  a bi-communal theatre team will perform “Othello” to be directed by İzel Seylani as part of the opening ceremony.

Following the performance, the opening of the exhibition concerning the restoration of the Castle will be held.

The restoration made by the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage with the financial support of European Union was carried out by the teams of UNDP.

Paying the price of arrogance and disdain

In his article entitled “Paying the price of arrogance and disdain” published in Sunday Mail, Greek Cypriot economist and social scientist George Koumoullis mentioned the issue of guarantees. Koumoullis stated that what troubles the Turkish Cypriots is not the territorial integrity of Cyprus but physical safety that is why Turkish Cypriots insist on the issue of guarantees.

Koumoullis underlined that the education system in South Cyprus develops hostility for the Turkish Cypriots. Mentioning the issue of Enosis, Koumoullis stressed that Greek Cypriots do not spend efforts to understand the fears of the Turkish Cypriots on the issue of Enosis.

Stating that “The decision for the armed struggle of 1955 was taken secretly from the Turkish Cypriots who made up almost 20 percent of the population”, Koumoullis expressed that Greek Cypriots made mistakes on the issue of guarantees as mistakes made in 1955. Mentioning tragic events which were experienced between 1963-1974, Koumoullis underlined that Turkish Cypriots have been affected by these tragic events in a bad way that is why Greek Cypriots should try to understand Turkish Cypriots’ psychology.

“Bearing in mind the Turkish Cypriots do not trust the EU or the UN to guarantee their security, one solution would be to accept guarantees for a period of time after which they would be phased out”  Koumoullis added.

Source: TRNC Public Information Office –

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