TRNC News Today 4th September 2015
Akıncı calls EU to help refugees
President Mustafa Akıncı called for “help” to the European Union about the refugee crisis in the region where many people lost their lives.
During his speech at a reception Akıncı said that the photograph of the dead body of an infant refugee that washed up on a shore deeply wounded people’s hearts.
Akıncı added: “Humanity cannot live with this shame. I would like to make a call as the Turkish Cypriot Leader. A helping hand should be extended to these people. This war in the region is continuing barbarously and innocent people pay the price”.
Akıncı also criticized the European Union on the subject and said: “This is a crime against humanity. The European Union, of which we also want to become a part, should not remain silent any longer and should open its doors to these people, at least as Turkey did.”
Akıncı: “Works for opening Aplıç gate could be completed by the end of this year”
President Mustafa Akıncı stated that works to open the Aplıç gate, for reciprocal crossings, could be completed by the end of this year.
Speaking at a reception, Akıncı reminded of his promise regarding the opening of Apliç gate and said that during his meeting with the Greek Cypriot Leader Nikos Anastasiades held on 28 May within the framework of the negotiations continuing to find a settlement in Cyprus, they reached an agreement on opening the Apliç gate for crossings in the West and Derinya gate in the East. Expressing that alternatives were also offered about the crossings, Akıncı said that a second road was offered for the Aplıç gate but then the first idea was agreed upon to be implemented.
Futhermore Akıncı indicated that some military considerations exist on the crossing point which is planned to be opened in Derinya and technical works are continuing on this issue.
Pointing out that the crossing points can be opened only by mutual consent, Akıncı said “One day, these gates will be opened by a reconciliation because the political will exists and its requirements will be fulfilled”.
Akıncı also reminded that a minefield in the area should be cleaned in order to open the Aplıç gate.
Remains of Greek Cypriot missing persons found
The Turkish Cypriot Member of the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP), Gülden Plümer Küçük stated that they believed that they have reached the remains of the Greek soldiers who had died during the clashes in 1974 and although their corpses were sent to the Greek Side through the UN, they were not accepted and sent back by the Greeks.
Küçük also stated that the remains of a fourth person have also been found at the excavations started behind the Central Prison
According to the CMP, there are a total of 2001 missing persons; 1508 Greek Cypriots and 493 Turkish Cypriots.
So far, the remains of 451 Greek Cypriots and 144 Turkish Cypriots have been identified and returned to their families within the framework of the Excavations, Identification and Return of the Remains Project.
The committee has discovered the remains of 969 missing persons at 999 excavation sites up to now.
Source: TRNC Public Information Office –
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President Akinci should examine his own conscience before criticizing EU leaders on refugee handling. How many Syrian refugees, who were rescued from a broken down boat, did the TRNC allow to stay – nil, all deported to Turkey for that country to manage.