TRNC News Today 1st July 2015

Akıncı meets with Juncker

President Mustafa Akıncı who is in Brussels to meet with high level authorities of the European Union had a meeting with the President of European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker at Central Office of EU Commission, Berlaymont Building.

In his statement to press following the meeting, Akıncı said that he demanded from Juncker to promote relations with the Turkish Cypriots in all levels to be ready for the process after a solution.

Stating that he informed Juncker about the negotiation process in Cyprus and they discussed how they can promote relations with the Turkish Cypriots, Akıncı said that in case of a solution, Turkish Cypriots will find themselves within the European Union that’s why Turkish Cypriot institutions should become ready for EU membership.

Furthermore, Akıncı stated that President of the European Commission will arrive in Cyprus in the middle of July and visit Turkish Cypriot authorities. Mentioning continuing negotiations with the Greek Cypriot side in the island, Akıncı said that their aim is to find a solution based on political equality, security which will be to the advantage of both sides. During the meeting, Akıncı also informed Juncker about the steps taken on the issue of confidence building measures.

Negotiators met yesterday

Turkish Cypriot negotiator Özdil Nami and Greek Cypriot negotiator Andreas Mavroyannis came together during a meeting which continued for about 4 hours yesterday and was attended by UN Secretary General’s Special Advisor on Cyprus Espen Barth Eide.

According to the statement of Presidential Spokesperson Barış Burcu, meeting at UN Office in the buffer zone yesterday morning, the negotiators had a fruitful meeting within the framework of political will shown at the leaders’ meeting held the day before.

Burcu stated that negotiators would meet today and again on Thursday.

Furthermore, Burcu added that Eide is planning to increase the tempo of the negotiators and to organise 4 meetings during the next week.

Davutoğlu: “Turkey and Turkish Cypriots are not responsible for the unsolved Cyprus problem”

Leader of Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said “If the Cyprus problem is not solved today, its responsibilities are not Turkey and Turkish Cypriots but the Greek Cypriot administration which did not reply the efforts for peace of the Turkish Cypriots and EU and international community which support the Greek Cypriots”.

Prime Minister Davutoğlu added: “We always do the necessary and will continue to do.

If there is no peace in Iraq today, Turkey is not responsible for this. We always spent efforts for reaching peace in Iraq and the whole Middle East as well”.

Yorgancıoğlu: “ We will hand over the government in better stage”

Prime Minister Yorgancıoğlu stated that they will hand over the government in better stage compare to before, and that his government succeeded to balance the budget for the first time where local income met local expenditures adding that his government managed to pay 6 months of wages without getting any additional money from Turkey.

Yorgancıoğlu also added that his government was the first who made the parliament work in the most efficient way adding that 113 laws in 22 months, the majority of laws, legal changes and amendments were made during his government’s period.

Eide meets with Özgürgün

UN Secretary General’s Special Advisor on Cyprus Espen Barth Eide met with leader of National Unity Party (UBP) Hüseyin Özgürgün.

UBP Gazimağusa Deputy Hamza Ersan Saner was also present during the meeting which was held at UBP central office.

No statement was made to the press after the meeting.

 

Hadjigeorgiou: “I respect Akıncı more than Anastasiades”

Takis Hadjigeorgiou, member of Confederal Group of the European United Left – Nordic Green Left, evaluated the visit of President Mustafa Akinci to Brussels in an interview with AB Haber.

Underlining that the visit of Akinci to Brussels is positive, Hadjigeorgiou said “Akinci behaves like a real Cypriot, I respect him more than Anastasiades”. Takis Hadjigeorgiou expressed that Mustafa Akinci is neither Turkish Cypriot sided nor Greek Cypriot sided but he is a Cypriot.

Stating that he hopes that internal problems will be solved in the negotiations ongoing between Akinci – Anastasiades, Hadjigeorgiou said “How will the issues like guarantees, military etc be solved with Turkey? I think this is the main problem”. (AB Haber)

Source: TRNC Public Information Office –

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