TRNC News Today 1^st October 2015

Akıncı met with Davutoğlu

Within the framework of his New York contacts, President Mustafa Akıncı had a meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu.

In his statement following the meeting, President Akıncı said that they evaluated the latest stage reached at the Cyprus negotiations and that Davutoğlu renewed Turkey’s support for the solution process in Cyprus.

Furthermore, Akıncı said that Turkish Prime Minister Davutoğlu expressed his satisfaction for Akıncı’s contacts in New York and wished continuation of these contacts.

President Akıncı also met with Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallström and the representatives of the Cyprus Turkish Aid Society.

Today, Akıncı will meet with New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully and the Secretary of State John Kerry. Tonight, Akıncı will attend the dinner hosted by Turkish Foreign Minister Feridun Sinirlioğlu.

Akıncı’s meeting with the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon will be held tomorrow.

Akıncı met with Mogherini

Within the framework of his New York contacts, President Mustafa Akıncı met with the EU Commission Representative Frederica Mogherini. In his short statement following the meeting, Akıncı stressed that peace and prosperity to be provided by a solution in Cyprus will be a positive example for the region. Akıncı informed Mogherini regarding the stage reached at the Cyprus negotiations and expressed the Turkish Cypriot side’s views.

Furthermore, Akıncı stated that they discussed the EU’s role and contributions in case of a possible solution.

Stressing that they also discussed the issue of preparations which should start as soon as possible for EU’s fulfilling the requirements of a solution, Akıncı said that the views of the Turkish Cypriot side about the precautions which should be taken to preserve bi-communal, bi-zonal character of a comprehensive solution were also discussed.

Akıncı said that it was underlined during the meeting that some factors of a solution need to be protected within the EU as a primary law.

Adding that the issues regarding the cost of a solution were also discussed, Akıncı said that they discussed what the EU can do on the issue of meeting the expenses of a solution.

During the meeting, Akıncı expressed that the EU institutions should ensure more cooperation with the Turkish Cypriot side for the harmonization of the Turkish Cypriot side to the EU.

Akıncı added: “In brief, we gave information about the current stage of the negotiations and stressed that a solution to be reached in Cyprus should have a legal certainty within the EU. We talked about the positive role of the EU for meeting the expenses of a solution. It was a positive meeting.”

Atalay and Hadjıonnas gave peace messages

During the visit of one thousand Turkish origin people from the TRNC for a special pilgrimage to Hala Sultan Mosque on Wednesday 30th September, the Head of the TRNC Department of Religious Affairs Prof. Dr. Talip Atalay and the Representative of Archbishop, Priest Savvas Hadjionnas gave peace messages.

Emphasizing peace and brotherhood in his speech, Atalay wished to end terrorism and discrimination.

Atalay also stated that it is important that Archiepiscopate accepted the existence of the Turkish origin people and sent the representative to the visit which was held yesterday.

Savvas Hadjionnas congratulated Kurban Bairam and also conveyed the Archiepiscopate’s regards. On the other hand; Hadjionnas believed that the dialogue between the Religious Affairs Department and the Archiepiscopate is going well.

Ancient tomb found in Lapta

An ancient tomb which is believed to date back to the years BC 325 and 58 in the Hellenist era, has been found in Lapta.

Indicating that antiquities were found that belong to the Hellenistic era, Antiquities and Museums Department Director Fuat Azimli added that they would be able to give more information after the completion of the excavations.

CTP-AKEL joint committee convened

The Committee, which is formed by Republican Turkish Party (CTP) and AKEL in order to support the ongoing negotiations of the leaders and to contribute to rapprochement of the communities, met yesterday.

The parties exchanged their views on the stage reached at the negotiations and discussed the property issue.

According to the statement, the parties reached a consensus to contribute to the solution process through periodic and intensive work program. The aims of the joint committee were determined as follows: To get “yes” vote from both sides after the referendum, a joint success based on “win-win” strategy, and observance of common and different sensitivities of the communities.

Turkish and Greek Cypriot Political Parties met in the buffer zone

The leaders and the representatives of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot political parties met in the buffer zone again.

In the joint statement following the meeting which was about the basic parameters for a democratic solution to the Cyprus problem, it is stated that the solution of the Cyprus problem should be federal, democratic, fair and permanent.

According to the joint statement read out by Oksana Tomova, Ambassador of Slovak Republic, they discussed the issue proposed by the hosting Socialist Party EDEK under the title “What are the basic parameters for a Democratic solution to the Cyprus problem?”

The next regular meeting of the leaders and the representatives of the political parties will be held on Wednesday 21 October, 2015 at the Ledra Palace Hotel.

TRNC Citizen refused entry into South Cyprus

In an article by Chris Elliott on Cyprusscene.com it was stated that a TRNC citizen and resident was refused entry from the TRNC into South Cyprus with the aim of making preparations for charity concerts. Elliott recorded the following opinions in the news:

“I was horrified to learn that a dear friend Debbie Mustafoğlu was denied entry at the border crossing.” Debbie tried to travel to South Cyprus with her two friends who are making preparations for two charity concerts.

Elliott continued as: “So why was she denied entry with her Kimlik (ID) Card by the Greek Cypriot Immigration Police when she attempted to travel south with her friends Hatice Salıh Kerimgil and Figen Vicky Rasmussen to further their plans for these two charity concerts which would support children with special needs, and also a peace concert uniting both sides of Cyprus?”

Elliott quotes Debbie saying: “I am a Vatandas (Citizen) of the KKTC (TRNC) and married for 41 years to my husband Mehmet, who is Turkish Cypriot, but because it said on the back of my TRNC ID card (kimlik) that I was born in Oklahoma, USA, I was refused entry at which point all hell broke loose. I walked away quietly but my Turkish Cypriot girlfriends gave them a severe scolding and told them that THEY discriminate against Turkish Cypriots which they were doing then and that the North does not do this to them when they cross.

I’m feeling very sad, down and disillusioned right now. It’s the first time since my breast cancer diagnosis and the battle to live back in April of this year.

With reports of positive negotiations between the Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots in the quest to find agreement and a solution to the Cyprus problem, how will it ever work with attitudes from people like this?”

Elliott reminded that in May 2015 Debbie was the recipient of the US Ambassador’s State Department Cultural Diplomacy Award for her contributions to cultural understanding between the two communities of the island and added that she is a Grammy List Nominee in Classical Music and a former Miss Oklahoma who has performed all over the world.

Elliott also mentioned that later on Debbie and her husband Mehmet had crossed into South Cyprus without problems using their US passports and he asked : “Why is there no flexibility being shown to encourage people who are trying make a difference to enter the south as there are many that enter the north without difficulties?”